Feet First!
by Roadkill1992
Summary: A Halo/Freezing crossover independent of existing characters from either side. A malfunctioning Shaw-Fujikawa Translight drive sends the Ace of Spades, a Pheonix-class colony ship refit for wartime duties, to an alternate Earth. Here, humanity once again finds themselves at odds with aliens although the situation is very, very different from what the UNSC is used to.
1. Chapter 1

War is hell, no matter what form it takes.

Alexis Tannar, a senior, watched in awe as the massive form of her foe drifted past her hiding place between two buildings. There were a total of six people in that tiny spot, three females and three males. The women wore crimson uniforms and carried various weapons, while the men sported cream-colored clothing under protective vests. Not that those vests would do much good against that giant.

"Target one is advancing! Civilian evacuation is at twenty-five percent. All surviving Pandoras regroup and attack. Buy us time to get the civilians out!"

That call over her earpiece strengthened Alexis's resolve. She was a Pandora... she had to do her duty. In this world, Pandoras fought those giant abominations, the Nova, in hand-to-hand battle. Their male counterparts, dubbed Limiters, acted as support units. Together, a Pandora and Limiter formed a bonded pair. These pairs were humanity's only line of defense against the Nova...

..and they were losing.

"Alright team," Alexis said in as strong a voice as she could manage. "Let's give the girls up ahead some support! We'll hit that bastard from behind and create an opening for the others to do some real damage!" The others hesitated then nodded in agreement, picking themselves up and getting ready to fight again. Alexis tossed her braided white hair over her shoulder. For some reason her hair had always been white, matching her complexion. But tonight, before this fight was over, she knew that both would be stained with mud, grime, and blood.

**UNSC Ace of Spades, Contested Space...**

Admiral Lucia Hartman knew when she was beaten. You didn't survive thirty years of constant war and not know when you were beat. And that's about how long she'd been fighting this war. Now, around her, the bridge of her ship was abuzz with tension and action.

They'd approached Waypoint Station, a deep-space repair platform that the UNSC had been using as a staging area for defense against invading Covenant fleets. For a couple months it had worked, but last night the station had gone silent. A modified Phoenix-class colony ship, the UNSC Ace of Spades, had been dispatched along with an escort of six destroyers, two heavy Marathon-class cruisers, and ten frigates.

At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary about the station. But as they approached they received no welcoming signals, no distress calls... nothing. It was as if the station was entirely dead. One of the frigates had gone in and docked with the station... and at that moment the entire station exploded. Admiral Hartman had just issued the retreat order when a massive Covenant fleet materialized behind them. Half of the human ships had been cut down the moment the alien ones opened fire. The others began tearing off on randomized trajectories. Not the Ace, however. There was no chance for that.

"Ma'am! Slipspace drive is still unresponsive!" one of the crewmen yelled as the ship shook from yet another direct hit. Their drive had been damaged during the initial assault, although no one was sure just how it had happened. What everyone was sure of, however, was that the ship's crew of over 11,000 men and women were probably not going to survive this encounter. "Wait..." Hartman's eyes darted to the crewman as he checked his screen again in shock. "Ma'am... the drive's responding... but it's giving some crazy readings. I can't promise we'll get anywhere if we use it.

"No choice," Hartman said. "If we do it, we might die. If we don't do it, we WILL die. Engage Slipspace drive, random co-ordinates. Get us the hell out of here, helmsman."

The crewman from before traced a cross over his face and shoulders then carried out his orders, furiously typing commands into his console. In a matter of moments a Slipspace rupture opened in front of the Ace of Spades and the massive warship vanished through, leaving its Covenant pursuers behind.

**UNSC Ace of Spades SOEIV Bay**

Down in the drop bay, a squad of soldiers was getting prepared for duty. Their Admiral had come over the intercom just as the ship jumped, ordering all hands to remain at battle stations. And so these black-clad soldiers, the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, were preparing their gear and their pods. Just in case.

"Mitch, you alive over there?" one of the men said.

"Worry about yourself Doughy," came Mitch's reply.

"That's enough chatter, all of you." The words of their commanding officer, a sergeant named Davis, put a stop to the bickering before it could start. The six members of the squad gathered around their leader, all of them armed and ready.

"All hands, prepare to exit Slipspace." At these words from the intercom, yellow warning lights began to pulse around the bay. An alarm could be heard buzzing someone down the line as well.

"Alright, find your pods shitheads," the sergeant said. "I want you all ready to jump at a moment's notice."

The soldiers scrambled for their pods. At the very end of the row was a pod marked "Kinkaid, G" The smallest of the ODSTs climbed into this pod. Gabriel Kinkaid was only 19, a recent addition to the squad. His nickname amongst the squad was "Pinpoint" due to his natural talent for piloting an HEV. Now Gabe watched the door of his pod close from behind his VISR, feeling anxious like never before. He'd been on twelve missions with eight successful drops. He was still a bit of a rookie, but he wasn't usually this nervous.

Something was wrong about this mission. Very, very wrong. And he could feel it. Something very bad was coming their way...

**Chevalier Combat Zone**

"Give it to 'em! Let's take that asshole apart!"

Alexis heard the words coming out of her own mouth but didn't feel like they were hers. It was as if someone else had taken over and she was just along for the ride. She didn't want to fight the Nova. She didn't want to see any more people die. More than anything she wanted to run. To flee this place and never look back, hoping she'd never see another Nova.

But those wishes were contradictory. With the Nova here, people would keep dying. The only way for people to live on would be for Pandoras like herself to keep fighting. And so Alexis charged back into battle once more, determined to stop this Nova in the faint hope of never seeing another one after it.

The creature before seemed to sense her presence. It began a slow turn, and while it did so it began to radiate a sort of energy field. This 'field' halted living creatures in their tracks, rendering them immobile. Alexis and the other two females were stopped, but only until their male comrade acted. At once all three of the men behind them released energy fields. Their "freezing" countered the Nova's, allowing their Pandora partners to move and fight.

Apparently the Nova determined this to be a threat. Its attacks, in the form of large, flat tentacle-like appendages comprised of some unknown metallic substance, ripped towards the oncoming Pandoras. The trio dodged easily, but they'd made the mistake of leaving their Limiters exposed. Two of the men escaped. One didn't.

Alexis heard a scream of agony behind her. Even before she looked, she knew exactly who had been hit. She turned in time to watch her Limiter fall to the ground, his torso rolling away from his waist and legs.

"JAMES!" Her cry of anguish cut through the sound of the battle. A cold pain twisted at her insides as she ran to her partner's side, hitting her knees and bringing his torso up. She hugged her dead companion, hot tears rolling down her lovely face from her sapphire-like eyes. Incoherent screams ripped forth from her lungs.

The Nova fell to the ground, damaged by the other Pandora's assault but still undefeated. The Pandoras gathered for another strike but all froze when they heard a mighty crack. All eyes except Alexis's went upward as the sky split open, an enormous shape appearing from the void.

The Nova rightened itself while the Pandora were distracted. The creature turned towards Alexis, gathering energy about itself. Alexis finally took notice, sensing danger but unwilling to move from James' corpse. She knew what was coming: an energy beam powerful enough to tear a battleship into tiny little ribbons.

Was this how she was to die? The girl closed her eyes and waited for death, preparing to join her dear James on the other side of eternity...

**UNSC Ace of Spades SOEIV Bay**

"Oh... oh fuck... SARGE!"

Gabe Kinkaid had accidentally hit the launch button for his pod. Now, as he cried out for his commanding officer to help, his drop pod swung down into position. There came a swift series of low beeps followed by a higher-pitched tone. At that point his pod came loose from the clamps that held it in place. The vehicle now dropped towards the planet below, screaming along at several hundred miles an hour. He could hear his sergeant yelling at him over the radio, but right now it made no difference. He was on a collision course with the ground and there was nothing to dodge into.

Feet first into Hell...

Below him, Gabe could see a massive.. object. Its outside reminded him of a Covenant ship's hull. But this thing was humanoid... or at least, partially. It lacked legs or arms, and it seemed to have some sort of tentacles, like a giant octopus or something. Whatever this thing was, there were people around it as well. People that seemed very much bent on beating the hell out of it. He wasn't sure who they were or what the thing was, but he knew one thing for certain: those were human beings down there, and any enemy of humans was an enemy of his. And so he steered his pod straight for the large object, just as it began to glow brightly.

His HEV hit the object at a good three hundred miles an hour. He fired his landing thrusters just before impact, but that wasn't enough. His pod bounced off of the thing's hull and spun through the air, landing directly in front of it. The ODST felt his restraining harness snap under the force and he ended up crumpled in the top of his pod, which was lying on its back. Gabe lay there, dazed, every inch of his body in pain from the crash.

The door of his pod blew off of its mountings, prompting Gabe to stand up at last. As he went he snagged his weapons from the pod's mounts. He'd brought the standard ODST gear: a silenced submachine gun and a matching silenced pistol. However, his pod also contained a larger weapon that he'd convinced the weapons officer to let him 'borrow.' He left that in the pod for now, instead taking this opportunity to get his bearings.

He seemed to be in some sort of industrial area on the edge of a city. The large object had been knocked down once more by his pod's impact and several figures were moving towards it rapidly... way too rapidly. They also seemed to be... flying? Jumping ridiculously high and far? Whatever it was, he decided to let them do their thing uninterrupted.

Whatever their thing was, however, it seemed to be ineffective. The thing was getting up again, heading straight for him. He glanced back at the woman behind him. There wasn't much of a choice at this point...  
><strong><span>Chevalier Combat Zone<span>**

Alexis opened her eyes as something crashed to the ground nearby. She watched the Nova hit the ground, knocked askew by the metal object that had landed nearby. As she watched part of the object went flying. After a moment a figure stood up from within the capsule. She couldn't tell who the person was under that armor, or even if it was actually a person. What she could tell, even through her tearsoaked eyes, was that the person was wearing strange equipment and carried strange weapons. Whoever or whatever they were, they were something new and unexpected.

The Nova shook free of the Pandoras attacking it, turning back to face Alexis and the newcomer. The newcomer clearly understood the threat that the creature posed, for he ducked back into his pod. Alexis thought for a moment he was taking cover, then the figure came back up with a large object in his hands. He rested the object, a long construct of some green metal, on his shoulder like a rocket launcher used by normal soldiers. A male voice rang out, yelling something she couldn't quite make out, then a crimson glow came from the front of the device. After a second or so a crimson shaft of light exploded from the weapon with an earsplitting sound somewhere between a squeal and an explosion. The beam caught the Nova square in the chest, punching through what was left of its battered armor and ripping its core apart. The Nova fell back, landing on its back and moving no more.

Alexis stared up at the figure as he attached the massive weapon to his back and jumped down from his pod, running towards her and the dead corpse of James. 

Gabe breathed a sigh of relief as the object went down, giving the woman behind him another glance to make sure she was still alive. If that thing had a ranged attack, she'd have been in danger as well as him. And so he'd used the only thing he had that looked like it'd have any effect on the object: the M6 Grindel/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle, or as he and the others knew it the Spartan Laser. He wasn't sure where to aim it, but he'd noticed those fast jumpy flying people repeatedly attacking the object's 'chest' so that was where he aimed as well. And apparently, it'd worked. The thing wasn't moving anymore. It... looked dead.

Now he was worried about the person behind him. He could see the Ace above them. Pelicans were deploying from the launch bays, heading for his position. At the same time a group of HEV pods were making a touchdown a few hundred yards off. He recognized one of the ODSTs as soon as the other soldier's pod opened: Davis. So his squad had come to rescue him... or flay him alive. Either way, first priority was the female. She didn't look like military, and so he assumed she was a civilian.

"Ma'am, you need to evacuate to a safer location." he said as he reached her. His VISR deactivated, the silver reflectiveness vanishing to reveal a youthful face, a pair of brown eyes, and the extremely short stubble of brown hair.

"I'm not leaving James!" Alexis cried out, clutching the top half of his corpse even tighter. "I won't abandon him!" A renewed torrent of tears spilled down the girl's face at the thought of her dead companion.

"You'll end up just like him if we don't move! There could be more of those bastards out there!" Gabe reached down for her arm, intending to drag her off of this battlefield. He never reached her, however.

A strange sound, like a terrifying choir, heralded the arrival of a second towering Nova. Gabriel turned around just in time to see the being materializing near where the first had fallen. The quick, agile people that had been fighting the first seemed weary and unwilling to fight... or maybe unable to continue. Even worse, his fellow ODSTs had simply... frozen. As he watched the Nova came closer, seeming interested in investigating him. Gabe was having none of that, however.

The ODST unhooked his massive laser from his armor's magnetic clasps, taking aim. Before he could fire, however, he felt himself suddenly become paralyzed. It was as if his body had forgotten how to move and all he could do was stand there, weapon up, in the perfect position to strike but unable to do so.

'I'm gonna die...' the trooper thought. 'I... I'm ready for this... I'm ready..." He felt his body straining against itself as he fought for control. 'I'm ready... I'm ready..." He felt something growing within him, something powerful. It was like a great beast struggling against its cage. 'I'm ready... I'm ready... I'm READY!..' The thought was pounding in his skull now like a heartbeat. Slowly, struggling, the ODST began to move.

"I'M READY!" he screamed, finally breaking free of the Freezing effect. "HOW 'BOUT YOU?!"

Once again, the M6 laser spoke. Its crimson beam traced its way up to the chest, the same spot he'd hit on the other one. This time the attack shattered the Nova's chest armor but didn't damage the core. He tossed the laser aside and switched to his submachine gun. The silenced weapon spat a stream of lead up at the exposed core, but the bullets simply bounced away from the being like pebbles off of a battlecruiser. 

Alexis watched in awe as the man broke free of the Freezing and attacked the Nova directly, doing great damage to the creature. His weapon seemed to be useless while recharging, however, for he simply tossed it away and switched to another, less effective weapon.

A roar of engines caught her attention and she looked around just in time to see a strange craft descend to the ground. It was long and aerodynamic-looking, like a plane with stubby wings and no tail. Gouts of exhaust spewed from sixteen different jets on the craft, each set of four mounted on moving... parts? She wasn't even sure what to call the components of the machine. She could tell it was some sort of transport, however, by the way it turned its back to the Nova and began to open up.

A long time ago, Alexis had read a lot about Greek mythology. What she saw now reminded her of the Greek hero-gods of old. There were ten of them in all, beings much larger than a normal human and wearing a strange form of green full-body armor. Even the black-clad soldier seemed tiny in comparison. One of the armored beings turned its gold faceplate towards her for a moment before rushing off to join the guy in the black armor. Each of the armored ones carried a rifle, and as they ran all of those rifles spoke. A hail of gunfire went skyward, bullets ricocheting off of the Nova's armor. One of the Nova's tentacles stabbed towards the lead green-armored soldier. Alexis thought the guy was dead for sure, but the tentacle bounced off of him/her/it in a flash of golden light that spread across the armored person's body.

She didn't know how long they could keep fighting, and she had no clue whatsoever why the Freezing effect didn't stop the green-clad soldiers. But she could see the one in black slowing down again and knew that he would die if the Nova got a chance to strike at him. Her eyes went to his fallen weapon... 

Gabe could feel himself slowing. The Ace of Spades had deployed its entire team of ten SPARTAN-II super-soldiers, and the warriors were somehow able to move when everyone else couldn't. But their combined fire was proving ineffective against the gigantic foe they faced. Gabe watched as another of those tentacles drew back, aiming straight for him. He couldn't move, couldn't dodge...

The sound of a Spartan Laser firing behind him ripped through the night. A third beam of red light boiled through the rain, hitting the Nova square in its 'face.' It didn't do much damage but it did knock the Nova over. At that moment the Ace of Spades turned above them, aligning its primary weapons with the creature's exposed core.

"Hold onto your teeth," one of the SPARTANs said quietly.

A massive bullet the size of a large tree trunk erupted from the ship's main gun, impacting with the force of a small atom bomb. A shockwave blew many of the soldiers, including Gabe, off their feet. Windows shattered for half a mile around from the impact, and where the Nova had lain there was only a smoking crater and a wrecked hull left. Gabe felt one of the SPARTANs catch him and put him back on his feet. He found he could move freely now, and the first thing he did was run back to the girl with the white hair. 

Alexis had no clue how to operate the Spartan Laser, but she knew a trigger when she saw one. The guy in the black armor had made it look easy, and so she hadn't thought twice about picking up his weapon and attacking the Nova. However, she wasn't ready for the weapon's power. The kick alone was enough to shatter the bones in her right forearm. On top of that the weapon's roar dazed her, and the recoil knocked her to the ground. She lay there, watching a gigantic shape in the sky point down at the Nova like a massive arrow. Then, without warning, a shaft of light exploded from the nose of the shape. The blast knocked her unconscious, but she could see that the guy in the black armor was alright. That was enough for her... 

Gabe fell to his knees next to the girl. Her friend was dead, but she was mostly unharmed. The SPARTANs moved off to investigate the downed creature while the rest of Gabe's ODST squad gathered around him.

"Holy shit..." someone breathed.

"Kid," Davis said angrily. "The second we get back to the ship, I'm going to skin you alive and make a goddamn coat out of you!"

"Sir, yes sir!" Gabe said quickly. "Sir, requesting permission to get this girl to her companions first, sir!"

"Made a friend already, Pinpoint?" The sergeant's voice had gone from pissed to amuse in a heartbeat. "I know a great tattoo artist if you're looking to get her name done on your arm. Chicks dig that shit."

"Sir!" Gabe's face was starting to flush a bit behind his VISR. The other ODSTs laughed.

"Alright, let's help the kid get his new buddy back to base," the sergeant said. "Any idea where that might be?"

In response, Gabe pointed towards where the other locals were gathering. "I'm pretty sure she's with them, sir."

"Well grab and go, kid. We'll cover you."

Gabe nodded and picked up his laser, hooking it to his back once more. He then picked the unconscious girl up and carried her gently in his arms. The other ODSTs gathered around him, guns at the ready. The sergeant faced forward, walking ahead of Gabe. The other ODSTs moved with him, covering his two, four, six, eight, and ten-o'clock angles. The squad moved quickly despite three of them walking backwards, and in no time at all they were approaching the other locals.

Gabe knew he'd been right the moment they got close. There were other girls here in similar red uniforms to the one his white-haired charge wore, and there were a few guys in those cream-colored getups. One of the girls, a tall green-eyed brunette with a halberd, jumped up and ran at Gabe.

"Alexis!" she cried.

The ODSTs around him tensed, but Gabe stepped away from them and brought the unconscious girl to the approaching one. "She's out cold and she's a little beat up... looks like firing that Splazer screwed up her arm pretty bad."

Two of the other girls came to join the first. They took the white-haired girl from Gabe, carrying her off towards an approaching vehicle. The first girl watched them go then looked back at Gabe. "What about James?"

Gabe shook his head. "If that's the guy she was with... there ain't much left of him. Poor girl was shook up pretty bad, too."

The girl nodded, looking somber. "Well, stranger," she said after a quiet moment. "I don't know who you are or where you came from, but I thank you for saving Alexis." She held out a hand. "We lost a lot of good Pandoras today. It brings me a little solace to know that there's one more family we don't have to break the news to."

"My pleasure," Gabe said quietly, shaking the offered hand. "She saved my ass out there too. Making sure she made it back was the least I could do." He gave the girl's hand a squeeze then turned away, shooting one last glance at Alexis before walking off to rejoin the other ODSTs.

"May I have your name?" the girl that had thanked him called after him.

Gabe stopped and turned his head back, his VISR turning silver once more. "It's Pinpoint," he said before walking off to rejoin his squad.


	2. Chapter 2

(A/N: So here's chapter two! I had half of this written when I posted chapter one of Feet First!but I wasn't sure if I was going to post anything further. However, here it be. It's a lot of dialouge, explaining some things I left loose in chapter one. I wanted to save explanations for the characters rather than the reader, because I hate reading over what I've already read twice, y'know? Oh, and just a reminder... I'm not using any existing Halo characters (other than the SPARTAN-IIs) and the only Freezing character I intend to borrow for the time being is Sister Margret. I may have a small appearance by some of the others here and there in the future, but for now I want to focus on the OCs from either franchise. The only reason I included the SPARTANs was because I thought the idea of cybernetics and the suit's reactive circuits counteracting the Freezing effect was interesting. Plus, I wanted the UNSC to make a massive impression on their new "allies." And yes, Alexis will make a comeback... in chapter three. Maybe. Possibly. We'll see.)

And so a week passed. At first, the locals were leery of the newcomers. At the same time, the newcomers were baffled by the locals. After all, they'd managed to land themselves on an alternate version of Earth. It was hard to believe at first: this planet was their beloved Earth in the year 2052, well before the invention of the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine. Many of the UNSC troops wondered what would happen if the Covenant attacked with Earth in this state, ravaged by these "Nova" things. Of course, Admiral Hartman hadn't told the Chevalier organization that seemed to run things on this Earth too much about what went on on the other side of forever. All they knew was that this ship and its crew belonged to the UNSC, the governing body of an alternate version of Planet Earth... and that nearly everything on the ship was classified. However, a deal had been reached. The UNSC forces would help fight the Nova, and in return they'd be left to their devices. Most of them, anyway...

Gabe lay in his bunk, staring at the ceiling. This was the third night in a row that he couldn't sleep. He couldn't get those girls, those 'Pandora,' out of his head. Davis had explained it to him twice after the official announcement from Hartman, but he still had no clue what was going on down there on the surface. All he knew was that those guys and girls were warriors like him, and he had been saved by one of theirs. A beautiful one of theirs at that. He wondered briefly what her smile looked like, then turned over onto his side and tried to fall asleep.

"Corporal Kinkaid, report to the forwards observation deck. Repeat, Corporal Gabriel Kinkaid to the forward observation deck."

"Wasn't like I was sleeping anyway," Gabe grumbled, sliding down off of his bunk. In the bunk below, Mitch rolled over in his sleep and mumbled something about shore leave. Gabe dressed quickly, donning his armor once again. He took his sidearm, the M6C/SOCOM that he'd carried last night, and slid it into its holster on his hip. His combat knife, which he tended to keep tucked under his pillow while he slept, was fitted into its sheath on his chestplate. And with that the trooper gave a glance towards the clock and left the room, stepping quietly into the drop bay outside their quarters.

It took him several minutes to make his way to the forward observation deck from the drop bay. Not a bad time, given the fact that this ship was two and a half kilometers long. The Ace of Spades was a Phoenix-class colony ship that had been fitted with a ton of weapons and a small army of Marines. She was now a fine warship, albeit a rather battered one. Her crew was busily effecting repairs. Gabe passed countless Navy crewmen in the halls, some carrying equipment or parts, other engrossed in readouts or conversations with other crew members.

He eventually reached the door to the observation deck and knocked. A voice from within told him to enter and he did so, stepping into the room and taking in the sights.

The observation deck was a large room on the very bottom of the ship. The floor and three of the walls were made of tempered glass with the strength of armor plating and mounted on titanium-A frames, the same material that the ship's armor was made of. Gabe's eyes went downward for an instant, taking in the sight of the land below them. Japan... or at least this Earth's version of Japan.

When his eyes came back up he took stock of the people in the room. Admiral Hartman was here, along with Sergeant Davis. The sight of these two caused Gabe to instinctively snap to attention. Another UNSC soldier, a pilot, was standing off to one side. Gabe recognized her slim build and blood-red ponytail at once. She was Warrant Officer Sarah Williams, and she flew a DD-77 "Pelican" dropship like the one that had deployed the SPARTAN team during the fight with that.. thing. He'd worked with her a number of times, and although he'd never had a real conversation with her he knew she was someone he could always depend on to get the job done.. and to get him and his comrades out of danger when the shit got too hot.

There were also three other women in the room, standing a bit apart from the UNSC officers. Two wore those crimson uniforms that reminded him of a cross between a jester and a rather slutty schoolgirl outfit. Judging by the uniforms, they were more of those 'Pandora' troops that he'd fought alongside. They stood on either side of the third, who was clad in... something. Some sort of... religious getup? Whatever it was, it didn't look like it belonged on a warship... or even in this century.

"Corporal Gabriel Kinkaid, reporting as ordered!" he said towards his commanding officers. The two Pandoras glanced at each other at that point but he ignored them.

"At ease, Corporal." This came from Hartman, who signaled him over.

"This is the one called Pinpoint?" the crazy nun asked.

"Yeah," Davis said. "That's his nickname. After that stunt he pulled with that SOEIV last week it should be clear why. Now, would you mind explaining what you want with one of my troopers?"

The two Pandoras tensed at that point, feeling that the ODST had become way too hostile for their liking. However, their nunlike leader stepped forward and spoke up, preventing them from acting.

"I would simply like to ask him a few questions about his encounter with the Nova." She turned towards Gabe at this point, giving him a warm smile. "Now, Mister Kinkaid..."

"Corporal Kinkaid," Davis interjected.

"Yes, forgive me. Corporal Kinkaid, I am Sister Margret. I am in charge of training and managing the Pandora in this area, including those you fought with one week ago. Speaking of that... Could you tell me what happened that night? How did you come to be on the field of battle?"

Gabe looked towards Davis and Hartman, who both nodded. Taking a breath, the young ODST spoke up and began his story.

"Well, we'd just made a Slipspace jump. Sarge wanted us in our pods just in case we needed to make a quick exit. When we exited Slipspace my hand slipped and I caught the launch control for my pod. Ended up dropping without permission..." He winced behind his opaque VISR, as if worried he might get reprimanded for the offense again. Davis had chewed him out for three hours straight once they'd gotten back onto the Ace. "So I was coming down anyway. Spotted that Nova dude down below. Saw those ladies hittin it too. Sure as hell wasn't going to side with an alien over a human. So I decided to give them some support."

"By crashing your vehicle into the Nova?" The nun sounded shocked.

"That's the thing about us ODSTs," he said proudly. "They call us 'Helljumpers,' but jumping feet first into Hell isn't our job. Our job is to make sure it's standing-room-only in Hell when we get there."

"I see." The nun's smile seemed slightly forced at this point. "Please, continue."

"Well, so I hit that thing dead-on. They don't call me 'Pinpoint' for nothing. Problem is, I hit it hard. The impact messed me up. The landing didn't do me much good either. Hell, I'm still sore."

"The lady wants your combat report, not a bitch session!" Davis' yelling sobered Gabe up rapidly.

"Yes sir! Sorry sir! Anyway, once I landed I got up and assessed the situation. My gear made it down intact, that Nova was still operational, and there was a woman about fifty or sixty yards back from where I'd landed. If that Nova got through me there would've been nothing stopping it from killing her."

"So you decided to fight the Nova in order to save the girl?" Gabe bristled a bit at the nun's words. Something about the way she'd said it made it sound like he was just trying to play the knight in shining armor rescuing the damsel in distress.

"That's my job," he said. "I joined the Corps to protect humanity from all foes. It's my duty to protect others, especially those who can't protect themselves." At his words the two Pandoras glanced at each other again then began watching him rather than Davis, seemingly intrigued by what he'd just said.

"I see. A noble cause." The nun's words sounded genuine here, so Gabe continued with his story.

"Anyway, I had my pistol and an M7S, a little SMG. Didn't think that'd do much so I dug out my other weapon, that bigass laser cannon. Figured a big bad guy needed to be shot with a big bad gun, right?"

"And how did you know that the Nova's core was its weak point?"

"I saw the other Pandoras hitting the chest over and over again. It wasn't that hard to put two and two together, lady. I waited until they were out of the way then gave it my best shot. As you can see, it turned out pretty well.

"What happened afterward?"

"Well, that Nova guy went down hard. I saw my squad touching down and decided to go check on the girl before they got there and decided to chew my ass out for launching without permission. I tried to get the girl to retreat but she was all hung up over that dead guy. Before I could get any sense worked into her that other Nova showed up."

"I see. Now, when the Nova attacked, did you feel anything... strange?"

Gabe thought for a moment, recalling the way his body had just stopped working. "Yeah... I ended up all paralyzed. I wanted to move but I couldn't. It happened again after the SPARTANs showed up, too, just not as bad."

"But you did start moving again, even when no one else could. How did you do it?" Gabe could tell that this was an important question, as every eye in the room was now watching his faceplate intently.

"Hell if I know," he said. "I just.. did. I didn't mind dying, but there was no way in hell I was letting the others go down. The SPARTANs, that girl, my squad... All of them were in harm's way. I wasn't just gonna stand there with my thumb up my ass."

"I see... Force of will, then?"

"Hell if I know."

"Now, about those... Spartans, did you call them? Those were the large men in green armor, yes? What can you tell me about them?"

"That information is highly classified," Hartman said. "If we told you, we'd have to kill you and everyone you've ever known."

"I see. Thank you, Corporal." The nun seemed a bit put out by the Admiral's objection, but she didn't pursue the subject.

"Is that all you wanted with my soldier?" Davis still seemed rather offended by this interrogation session.

"Not quite." The nun took a moment then asked Gabe a new question. "Tell me, Corporal Kinkaid. Do you remember the Pandoras you encountered in that battle?"

The image of the white-haired woman came to mind, followed by the girls that had carried her off and the one that had asked his name. "Yeah, what about 'em?"

"How would you like to join them?"

Davis stepped forward, making an angry sound. Before that sound could materialize into any actual words, Hartman threw out her arm and stopped him in his tracks.

"Sister, would you mind explaining that to me just a little bit better?" The Admiral's voice was polite but deadly all at once.

The nun turned towards the two UNSC officers, still smiling. "Corporal Kinkaid has demonstrated an impossible ability. He was able to counteract the Nova's Freezing area. Also, from what I observed in that battle, he may or may not have some level of stigma compatibility. To put it simply, he could be the advantage humanity need to survive this war. I would like to borrow him. I feel that my Pandoras and Limiters could benefit greatly from his presence on the battlefield, and it would go a long way towards boosting our morale. Furthermore, it would strengthen relations between your.. UNSC.. and the Chevalier. From what I understand, the device you called a Slipspace drive is damaged beyond repair, so it would beneficial to you and your men as well."

"You dirty cun.." An angry Sergeant Davis found himself stopped in mid-sentence by Admiral Hartman once more.

Gabe looked from Davis to the two Pandoras, then to Admiral Hartman. "Ma'am, Sir... requesting orders," he said.

"Corporal, I will not order you to do this," Hartman seemed strange, as if extremely weary. Gabe had never seen her like this. No one had. "However, I will not order you not to either. This is your choice. However, if you go with them, you go as a representative of the UNSC and a fully-fledged member of the UNSC Marine Corps. Is that understood?"

"Ma'am.. Yes ma'am!" Gabe thought for a moment. He hated the thought of leaving his squad, but he also wanted to fight. These people were human, and this planet was Earth. Their enemies, in many ways, were his. "I'll do it," he said. "I'll join you. But I'm a Corporal of the United Nations Space Command Marine Corps. I'm an ODST from the 105th Infantry and a crewman of the UNSC Ace of Spades. I will not do anything that would go against my duties as such, is that clear?"

"Naturally," the nun said happily. "I will make all the necessary arrangements. Now, with that settled, I am afraid I must depart." The two Pandoras stepped a bit closer to their leader. "Take as much time as you need to prepare yourself. I trust that your Admiral will arrange transport for you. I look forward to working with you, Corporal." And with that the nun and her two companions left, leaving Gabriel with his three superior officers.

Davis stepped out of the room shortly after the nun had left, looking furious. Gabe watched him leave, wondering if he was going to get another ass-chewing. Then a hand on his shoulder made him jump. He turned quickly to find Hartman standing next to him. "Ma'am," he said.

"Kinkaid... I'm proud to have you on my ship." The Admiral's voice sounded softer again. "There are not many who would throw themselves into someone else's struggle like that, especially not after what we've all been through. So the Ace and her forces will stand ready to aid you and the Chevalier forces if needed. Don't hesitate to ask for help." Gabe nodded, unable to speak. The Admiral reached into her pocket and withdrew a playing card, an ace of spades. She tucked this card under one of his armor plates. "Just so you don't forget where you've come from, soldier. Now, go get your gear together. Warrant Officer Williams here will get you to your new post."

Williams stepped forward, popping the gum she'd been chewing. "Bay four, kid. Don't make me wait too long."

Gabe thanked them both then left the room, heading back for his quarters.

Fifteen minutes later the trooper entered the hangar bay. His laser was attached to his back again, his M7S submachine gun rested across the small of his back, and his belongings were stuffed into a black duffle bag.

Davis had met him in the drop bay. To his surprise, the sergeant wasn't angry. In fact, the older man actually admitted to being a bit saddened by his subordinate's reassignment. The rest of the squad assured him that they'd always have a bunk open for him and a drop pod with his name on it if he ever wanted to come back home to the Ace.

Now, Gabe approached a Pelican towards the back of the bay. Warrant Officer Williams was going over some things with one of the fight technicians. Above her head, on the side of her ship, she'd painted the words "U.S.S. FUKUUP." A mouth and eyes had also been painted on her ship's nose and a Confederate flag adorned each thruster array.

When the pilot noticed Gabe she waved him over. "Kid, you're late!"

"You never gave me a time for our date," Gabe quipped.

"Dream on, shorty. You gotta be at least six foot to ride this ride." The pilot looked over his gear. "You all set?"

"Yeah..." Gabe took another look around the hangar bay. It was strange, but he had a feeling that he wouldn't be back here for a very long time. He shook away his feelings as Williams walked past and began to follow her. He took a seat in the passenger area of the Pelican, hearing her strap in up ahead in the cockpit. His eyes watched through the open bay door as the Pelican started up and began to rise, pulling out of the bay and into the early morning.

"Alright, you know the drill back there. Seat backs and tray tables upright, in a water landing your ass is a flotation device, yada yada yada." William's voice came over the ship's speakers, audible even over the roar of the engines. "Oh... you might wanna hold onto something. I'mma have a bit of fun with this!"

The Pelican turned, showing Gabe the sun that was just starting to poke up over the distant ocean. He didn't have long to enjoy the view, however. The large dropship began to free-fall, dropping towards the ground at an alarming rate. Just before impact, Williams punched the thrusters and sent the Pelican on a new course. The ship skimmed the ground, flying rapidly through city streets that were filled with early-morning commuters and such.

"Is that really necessary?" Gabe yelled up at her, but she didn't seem to hear and Gabe wasn't willing to unstrap himself from his seat.. not with her flying style. So instead he brought up his VISR's map inside his helmet, losing himself in the tactical data the Ace's AI had gathered for him.

After a few more minutes, Gabe found the Pelican slowing down. He killed his VISR and looked around, taking in the sights available through the bay door. They had arrived at some sort of walled facility outside the city. He could see various buildings and hundreds of people moving about in the early morning. Most were heading for one of the larger central structures... a mess hall, perhaps. The Pelican arced over the place, giving Gabe a great view of the entire facility. This data was recorded and translated into a map by his VISR, and as he learned what each building was the system would update his database accordingly.

The Pelican finally touched down on what looked for all the world like a running track. The ODST picked up his duffle and hopped down, running out from under the tail end of the craft. Across the field, several Pandoras and Limiters were watching his arrival with interest. A few had weapons ready, but they were a good distance away. If they wanted trouble he'd be able to pump them full of lead before they even got halfway.

Or at least, that was what he thought.

A flash of motion caught his attention, but before he could even think about unholstering his pistol something caught him in the chest and knocked him to the ground. A woman, a Pandora, had pretty much just appeared out of nowhere, straddling his midsection and holding a large sword. That weapon was now pressed against his neck, digging into the neck of his uniform.

"What are you doing here, alien?!" the girl shouted. "Tell me, or I'll split you in two!"

Before Gabe could answer, there came another flash. This time a weapon resembling a halberd was shoved near him, but rather than going towards him its blade found its way to the girl's throat. Gabe's eyes traced the weapon's handle back up to its owner's face. A familiar pair of eyes greeted his gaze. It was the girl who'd asked his name after the battle.

"Mister Pinpoint here is a friend of mine," she said to her comrade. "If you don't take your hands off of him, I may have to hurt you." The voice she used was friendly enough but the point was taken by the other girl. Gabe also noticed that the girl's eyes widened a bit when she heard the word "Pinpoint." Had, perhaps, someone been talking about him down here?

The girl that had attacked him stood, her weapon seeming to vanish into thin air. Gabe didn't get much time to marvel at the feat, however, before his savior was dragging him back to his feet.

"Are you alright?" she asked concernedly. "Samantha's a great finisher... by all rights, you should be in a lot of pain right now!"

"I'm fine," Gabe grunted. Indeed, he was rather sore from the attack. But there was no way he'd show that now, not with so many potential aggressors watching. "I'll be better once I get a bullet into that little.."

"Nope!" The girl that had saved him now stepped in front of him, shaking her finger. "You can't do that! She's one of our comrades! And since you don't seem to like the Nova either, that makes her your comrade!"

Gabe gave that a moment of thought. "You're annoying when you're right," he grumbled. "So what's your name, anyway?"

"That's right, I never introduced myself that night! I'm Charlotte Dufrain, fourth-year rank eight!" Gabe tried to wrap his mind around that statement, but all he could get out of it was that she might be French. Before he could question any of it, however, she leaned a bit closer to him and posed a question of her own. "So... Mister Pinpoint... is that really your name? And what does your face look like?"

"Pinpoint is what the guys in my squad call me," Gabe said with a laugh. "Corporal Gabriel Kinkaid, at your service. Folks back home just called me Gabe though." To answer her second question the trooper pulled off his helmet with his free hand, revealing his face and buzzcut head.

"Wow... You look a lot younger than I expected!" Charlotte said. Gabe wasn't sure if he should've been insulted by that or not. "So... since you're here, you obviously have some business here right? Is there something I can help with?"

"Yeah, actually. Turns out I'm joining you guys. Gonna fight the Nova with you. That Margret chick wants me working with y'all. I guess I should probably locate her for orders. Any idea where I can find here?"

Charlotte seemed very excited by this idea. "You're joining us?! That's wonderful! Follow me, I'll show you to Sister Margret's office! Just.. don't be disrespectful, alright? A lot of people might be offended by that, and it's not good to make enemies of your allies."

"Oughta teach your own bitches that," a familiar voice said angrily. Gabe looked up to see Warrant Officer Williams holding a shotgun and watching the proceedings from the back of her Pelican. The pilot now approached the two, glaring at the Pandora mistrustfully. She seemed unimposing in her flight armor, but Gabe knew that she had been a Helljumper at one point. A person didn't just wear the title of ODST without having a pair that clanked, especially if that person was a woman. He didn't know her story, but he knew for a fact that she was a bonefide badass. "Fuck was with that welcoming, huh? I'm not bringing my boys down here so they can get assraped by the primitive pukes we're supposed to be helping here!"

"I am terribly sorry, miss!" Charlotte sounded close to panicking. The M60 shotgun had that effect on people. "Samantha was just doing what she thought was her duty. None of us knew Mister Kinkaid was coming!"

"Warrant Officer Williams, ma'am.." Gabe butted in at this point too. "We're here to assist the Chevalier forces. Wouldn't getting into a shootout with them over a misunderstanding be counter-productive?" At these words the older woman simply grunted and went back into her ship. A moment later the Pelican's engines started back up and the craft lifted into the sky.

"U.S.S. Fuhkoop?" Charlotte tried to decipher the name that had been painted onto the dropship.

"It's 'Fuck You Up,'" Gabe explained. "And she will, too. She's a lot tougher than she looks. She's the definition of deadly." (A/N: Personally, I imagine him saying "Fuck You Up" in a Schwarzenegger voice =3)

"Wow..." The Pandora watched as Williams' ship rose into the air, presumably headed back to the Ace of Spades. "She must be an amazing warrior. How did she earn her reputation?"

"She was an ODST like me," Gabe said proudly. "We Helljumpers are the toughest of the tough, the baddest of the bad, and the craziest of the crazy. And from what I hear, Warrant Officer Williams was good even by our standards."

"I see..." Charlotte began walking off, motioning for Gabe to follow her. He did so, keeping pace with her and walking beside her so as not to get lost or separated. "I wonder though," she mused. "What would cause such a fierce warrior to leave the frontlines and become a pilot instead?"

Gabe had to laugh at that one. "Just a pilot, huh? Lemme tell ya, she's saved my skin a number of times. She's one of our best Pelican pilots. I've seen her pull off amazing manuvers, seen her dogfight against enemy craft ten times better than that ol' DD-77 in every way.. Hell, I've even seen her pick up a drop pod in mid-flight. That takes true skill. On top of it, she's dependable. If her boys are in trouble, she'll get 'em out. No ifs, ands, or buts."

"I see. So you have much respect for her, then?"

"Totally. She deserves every bit of it and then some, too."

"So, if I may ask another question..." The Pandora opened a door for Gabe and waited for him to enter the building they'd reached before speaking again as she led him through it's halls. "That night a week ago, when you were fighting the Nova... what were those green robot things that joined you?"

Gabe had to think on that one. "Green robot things...? Oh wait, do you mean the SPARTANs?!"

"I don't know what they're called... they're the green armored warriors that came from a ship like the one Warrant Officer Williams pilots," she said thoughtfully as she tried to recall the event.

"Yeah, those were SPARTANs," Gabe said. "They're our best weapon, unstoppable death machines. But they're human, don't worry. They're cybernetically and biochemically enhanced super soldiers. That's why Admiral Hartman sent them down. They're our very best, and by that point we had boots on the ground. The admiral didn't want to lose any soldiers, so she sent the SPARTANs to try and rescue me and the other ODSTs. Not that the others would've appreciated it..." His voice grew quiet. "A lot of ODSTs hate the SPARTANs, and the SPARTANs never seem to show any emotion. Hell, I don't know anyone that's ever even seen one outside their armor. But I know they're human, and I know that they're my comrades. Personally, I'll fight and die alongside a SPARTAN any day."

"Why do ODSTs hate Spartans?" Charlotte seemed saddened by this information. "And speaking of which, what exactly are ODSTs, or Helljumpers, or whichever name you'd like to be called by?"

"ODST stands for Orbital Drop Shock Troopers," Gabe began, swelling with pride once again. "We drop from orbit in single-occupant pods like the one I came down in. The idea is that enemy AA fire can take out a Pelican easily, but even a computer-controlled system would have a hard time hitting ODSTs. You might knock out one or two pods, but that's just one or two soldiers lost compared to an entire platoon. Plus, ODSTs can drop in behind enemy lines and cause some serious damage. And we're hard to detect, so it makes us perfect for covert ops as well." His mannerisms fell into a gloomier tone. "As for SPARTANs... well... I don't know much about it, but apparently a SPARTAN killed a couple of ODSTs that were ordered to fight him. From then on ODSTs always saw SPARTANs as freaks, just mindless wind-up toys sent to do HIGHCOM's bidding. But me, I've seen the truth about SPARTANs. They're humans too. They have emotions and thoughts. They're no different from me or you."

Charlotte was quiet for a long time after that, thinking on what he'd just said. Finally she spoke as they rounded a corner on the building's third floor. "I... I guess I get that. Not too long ago there was an incident involving some experimental Pandoras... something about turning normal people with no compatability with stigmata into Pandoras like us. It went bad, and the one that survived was an outcast. I felt horrible when I heard that... those E-Pandoras were just like us. They just wanted to fight for what they loved. I hear the real Pandoras treated them awfully as well, which caused them to push themselves too hard resulting in a catastrophe."

Gabe wondered about the SPARTAN-IIs at that point. Would the hatred from the ODSTs cause the SPARTANs to go too far as well? Would the SPARTANs become a double-edged sword in the fight against the Covenant? Only time would tell...

"Well, enough depressing talk for the moment!" Charlotte said in a voice that was cheerful once more. "We've reached your destination, Mister Kinkaid. If you'd like I could go in with you."

Gabe nodded at the offer. "I could use it... plus, I wouldn't mind having someone around to show me where the hell to go in this place. I caught a look from above... this joint is huge!" He pushed open the door she'd led him too and entered, finding the crazy nun at her desk.

"Welcome to West Genetics Academy," Margret said. "I hope you found your way here alright?"

"Yeah, thanks to Charlotte here," Gabe responded. "I swear, if it weren't for her I'd've ended up in Ohio."

"Indeed." Margret took an envelope from her desk, opening it and taking out a stack of papers. "Well.. shall we begin your enrollment?"

Gabe could feel that his life was about to get a lot more interesting... and probably a lot weirder.

(A/N: See you in Chapter three! Cutting it here because I don't wanna type out all the boring procedural stuff... just like I didn't want to do the week's worth of political stuff at the beginning of the chapter. Talk about Snore-derlands!)


	3. Chapter 3

(A/N: Good golly miss Molly! That was way more than I expected in terms of response! Kinda intimidating o.o; Anywho, to my reviewers: Yes, I am also interested in seeing the relationship between the SPARTANs and the Pandoras. I don't intend to make the SPARTANs main characters, although they will serve a critical role in the story to come. And our little ODST is indeed jabbering way too much, but I've tried to be careful to avoid any classified information. After all, he is an ODST first and foremost. And I do intend for him to share some bigger secrets once he starts to get close to certain characters, but that will be way further down the line. Oh, and about the first chapter... The editor on here decided that I didn't need my scene breaks anymore when it saved my document. I dunno why, and I tried a bunch of different ways of doing it, but nothing worked. Kinda made me mad. If I can figure something out I'll edit that first chapter, because yes, it is very confusing.)

"Now, if you could sign here and date it..."

Gabe looked down where the lady was indicating. One last line to put his name on... The ODSTs pen scrawled out his signature once more, adding the date on the other end of the line. He'd done this at least a dozen times in the last ten minutes, reading endless paperwork and signing every line he had to sign. It was a relief to put that pen down.

Sister Margret gave that usual calm smile, taking his paperwork and putting it back into the yellow envelope it'd come in. "Well now, welcome to West Genetics. I have enrolled you as a fourth-year, a member of the Chevalier reserve forces. Therefore, if the students of this academy are called to fight you will be among the first into battle."

"Sounds fun," Gabe said lightly. At this point he was itching for something more like what he was used to as opposed to all this teleporting girl crap.

"Now, senior students do have a more relaxed life here than their underclassmen, but they are still required to attend classes and train themselves. I expect you to give your very best effort in your studies so that you can learn how best to work with your Pandora and Limiter counterparts."

"Yes ma'am!"

"And one other thing..." Sister Margret turned to Charlotte at this point. "Miss Dufrain, please wait outside for a moment. I will call you in again shortly." Charlotte nodded and left, closing the door behind her and leaving Gabe alone with what he was now entirely convinced was a crazy nun. "Now, Corporal Kinkaid... I would like to ask a favor of you."

"What kind of favor?" Gabe's voice was low and cautious at this point. With Charlotte gone and no UNSC support around anywhere, being asked for favors by this still-rather-mysterious woman was making him feel uneasy.

"It is nothing difficult," she said. "I would simply like you to undergo a medical examination with our nurse."

Gabe raised an eyebrow. "An... examination?"

"Yes. Simply to make sure that you are fit for combat duty and to see just how different from a Pandora you really are."

Gabe thought about it for a moment. "No examining my head or neck, no injections, and no putting anything in me that wasn't already in there. We clear on that?"

"Naturally. I just want to make sure you're absolutely ready to join us." She stood up, walking to the door and opening it. Charlotte was standing outside still. "Now, Miss Dufrain, would you mind giving Corporal Kinkaid a tour of the campus?"

Charlotte came back inside, looking excited. "Of course! Just follow me, Mister Kinkaid! And I can answer any questions you might have too!"

Gabe smilled and thanked her, standing and picking up his helmet and duffle. Sister Margret stood aside, allowing him to leave the room and follow Charlotte down the hallway. As he left he got the feeling that the nun was sizing him up. Was she trying to get an idea of the UNSC's strength by analyzing one of their soldiers? He would have to watch his back down here...

Meanwhile, in the upper reaches of the Earth's atmosphere...

The UNSC Ace of Spades hung in low orbit, her crew still busily making repairs. It would've taken weeks at a repair and refit platform to get the Ace back to 100%. With only the crew and what resources they'd brough with them from UNSC space the task of repairing the great ship seemed impossible. But the crew kept at it, fueled by the thought of what would happen if their ship was attacked by those monsters, the Nova.

Admiral Hartman stood on the bridge, staring out over the great blue expanse of sky around them ship. She could see a storm approaching them but paid it no mind, as it would pass many miles below the belly of the Ace.

There came the pnuematic hiss of a door opening, followed by heavy metallic footfalls. Hartman turned to see a SPARTAN approaching. The soldier had removed his helmet, revealing a bald head, neon blue eyes, and a hard jawline.

"Ma'am," the SPARTAN said with a salute. "Chief Petty Officer Jeremy-049 reporting as ordered."

Hartman returned the salute. "At ease, SPARTAN." She turned away once more, her eyes finding the storm below once more. By her guess, it'd make landfall sometime during the evening.

"You wanted to see me, ma'am?"

The Admiral was quite for some time before speaking. "I wanted your input, soldier. Here we are, hundreds of miles over an Earth that isn't ours. She's embroiled in a war that isn't ours either." She turned to face the SPARTAN once more, eyes studying his carefully. "Those people aren't anything like us. They're not UNSC. They're not ours, soldier. But they're human, and they're fighting a fight that's way too similar to ours. So tell me... do you think we should put lives at risk to help them?"

The SPARTAN didn't answer at first, clearly weighing the situation in his mind. "Yes," he said finally. "From what we have been told, the enemy is capable of inter-demensional transport. There's nothing to say that they couldn't hit the UNSC. The war with the Covenant is already draining our resources and manpower. An offensive by the Nova could be a fatal blow to the UNSC."

"So you think if we stop them here, it'll help us in the long run?"

"Even if we don't stop them and they attack the UNSC, the data we gather here could save countless lives back home once we find a way to get it there." Jeremy said. "In addition, we'll need resources in order to survive until we can find a way back to our own universe. In that time, it'll help to be on good terms with the local government."

"Makes sense..." Admiral Hartman turned around again. "So tell me, how do you think your SPARTANs will fare against one of those Novas?"

The SPARTANs answer was immediate, as if the warrior had been contemplating the same thing over the past week. "Our initial contact with the Nova was unsuccessful. Our MA5B rifles did nothing against the Nova's armor, not to mention whatever it uses for shielding. We noticed a fifty-three percent decrease in combat mobility when in combat with the Nova, which supports the claim that the Nova create a field that negates a living creatures ability to move. Corporal Gabriel Kinkaid of the 105th demonstrated the effectiveness of the M6 Grindel/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle against Nova armor, so I suggest we implement as many of them as we can muster. In addition, the ships MAC gun did catastrophic damage to the second Nova, leading me to believe that our current mass accelerator weapons could be used to some extent. I reccomend deploying M14 LRVs equipped with gauss cannons during the next Nova engagement."

"How about the Pandoras? How do you rate their combat ability?"

Again, the answer came far too quickly. The SPARTAN had clearly been evaluating the entire situation from the moment they'd exited Slipspace... as expected of the UNSCs deadliest warriors. "The fact that they regularly do battle with the Nova, even at a high cost of life, is impressive. As for individual combat... they're good, I'll give 'em that. Our standard Marine forces won't stand a chance against them if they turn on us. However..." the faintest traces of a smile tugged at the SPARTANs lips. "... they just can't compare to a SPARTAN. Even with that hyperaccellerating attack pattern, we can see every move they make and we have ample time to counter. We may not be able to move as fast, but we can negate their greatest advantage and react significantly faster than they can."

"Overall, what would our odds of survival be if they turned on us?"

"Next to zero." This response gained a raised eyebrow from the admiral. "We have superior technology, but we have limited numbers and resources. In addition, the entire world is theirs. There would be nowhere for us to run, nowhere to hide. No fallback position."

"So our best option is to remain a friendly but terrifying presence? Convince them that we can rip them apart if they anger us, but that we'll move mountains for them if they remain friendly?"

"Affirmative."

Admiral Hartman turned back around, watching the coming storm yet again. "It'll be a miracle if we pull that one off..."

Two hours later, at the West Genetics Academy...

Gabe twisted open a bottle of water, downing it quickly. Charlotte had dragged him over every inch of the damn school, showing him everything he'd never need to know about. It still struck him as asinine that the saviors of humanity were a buch of highschool kids, but that was the way of this world. If he wanted to survive, he would have to adapt.

Charlotte stood off to the side. She'd led him to a vending machine in front of the fourth-year men's dorms and bought him a water, opting for a soda for herself. "So, is there anything you'd like to know?" she asked, drinking her soda and watching him curiously.

"Yeah, there was one thing," Gabe said once he'd finished chugging his bottle of water. "That night... when we first met... Do you know the girl that I brought back?"

The Pandora froze in mid-drink at his words. Her can came down slowly and a sad look crossed her features. "Yeah.. Alexis... She's a reserve like me. She's also one of my best friends."

"I see..." Gabe felt uncomfortable at this point, but he pressed on anyway. "She got hurt helping me and the others. I wanted to check in on her, see how she was doing and how well her wounds were healing... and I wanted to thank her."

Charlotte shook her head slowly when Gabe spoke. "That wouldn't be a good idea. She's... well, she doesn't want to see anyone. She's already healed and ready for combat, but she hasn't come out of her room in a week."

Gabe raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with her? PTSD?"

"No... it's because of James. Losing James was just too much for her, and she's lost her will to fight any further."

The ODST felt himself getting angry at this thought. "I've dropped into hellish nightmares, I've fought battles a thousand times as horrifying as the one we fought. I've seen entire planets glassed with soldiers and civilians still on them! You don't see me giving up over just one casualty."

Charlotte's face contorted in anger, turning red from the strong emotion. "That's because you're not bound with any of them, you idiot!"Her voice was just below a shout, causing Gabe to take a step back in surprise. The girl took a moment to compose herself before giving Gabe a glare and continuing in a more normal voice. "Look... Pandoras and Limiters are more than just allies in battle. Do you remember what Sister Margret said about stigmata?"

Gabe racked his brains. "Yeah... those are the funky alien tissues your officers jam into Pandoras to give them the ability to fight the Nova, right?"

His response gained him an eyeroll. "Put simply, yes. They're special organs that give a Pandora her power. When her stigmata mature, a Pandora selects a Limiter and performs a ceremony called a 'baptism' in which she implants her chosen Limiter with one of her own stigmata."

The ODST tilted his head, trying to understand what was being described to him. "So... what? She just puts a bit of herself into her Limiter, and they can both fight?"

"Not quite. There's another step to it: the Ereinbar Set."

"The whateh-whatah?"

"Ereinbar Set. It's an ability that synchronizes the five senses of a Pandora and her Limiter. It also enables the Limiter to cast his own Freezing field, cancelling out that of a Nova and allowing his Pandora partner to fight unhindered."

Gabe shook his head. "So... stigmata give the power to fight, Pandora and Limiter pairs share a stigmata, that lets them do that funky mind-melding thing and makes it so the Limiters can keep their partners mobile and effective... I still don't see how that gives her the right to just give up. She's got a duty to do, even if her Limiter bought it. Can't she just pair up with someone else? I saw a lot of dead Pandoras when I was coming down, maybe one of their..." He stopped speaking at that point, all interest in continuing vanishing in the face of the look Charlotte was giving him.

"It's not that simple.." she said quietly. "Sure, we can re-baptize with eachother in battle to keep fighting, but a Limiter and Pandora form a bonded pair. Most of us have been working with our Limiters for two years now. And our bond is a very... intimate thing. The bond between a Limiter and a Pandora isn't just a weapon, Helljumper. It's a very deep relationship between two people. That's why losing James hit her so hard. He wasn't just a fellow soldier, or a friend, or even just a lover. Losing him was like losing half of herself."

Gabe looked up at the dorm building, his face expressionless. "I see.." he breathed. "I guess that would be hard." He slipped on his helmet, hiding his face from view. He could understand what she was saying in a way. Every planet he'd seen glassed felt like a part of him that was cut away.

"Anyway... this is where you'll be staying. Did Sister Margret give you your room key?"

Gabe produced the keycard. "Yeah. 303."

"Good. Why don't you go upstairs and check out your new room? I'll meet you in a few hours for lunch." Charlotte began walking away, still slightly red in the face from what he'd said.

Gabe made his way into the dorms, passing comfortable living quarters and the occasional bathroom. Way up on the third floor he found his destination: 303. Upon entering, the ODSTs mouth simply dropped open. He'd expected a military barracks or something similar. What he found was akin to a five-star hotel. His dorm room was actually two rooms, a bathroom and a spacious bedroom with silk sheets, fluffy towels, plush carpets, and even a potted plant in the corner. Gabe tossed his duffle onto the floor near the desk then flopped face-first onto the bed.

"What the hell did I get myself into this time?" he moaned behind his VISR.

(That's three, my lovelies! What's next? Chapter four, of course! WARNING: May contain feelz.)


	4. Chapter 4

A single shaft of sunlight cut through the darkened room, casting a small patch of light on the floor. Various object, some in various broken states, lay scattered around the room. A single figure lay curled under the blankets on the bed. A head of white hair could be seen poking out of the blankets.

Alexis Tannar had woken up in the infirmary with her arm already most of the way healed thanks to the accelerated regeneration that her stigmata provided. She'd held her composure as best she could through the debriefing and the final checkup. She'd then made her way back to her room, passing her comrades but not stopping to answer their questions. She'd reached her room, smiled at the passing Pandoras, closed and locked the door, then gone insane.

For a good thirty minutes the Pandora let her emotions run wild. Anger, anguish, grief.. sorrow. James was dead, unconditionally dead. She would never see his smiling face again, never laugh again as he got frustrated with his own inability to cook the simplest dishes. She'd never hold him close again after a rough day, never feel his arms around her when she was down again. The world just seemed worthless without him.

After her tantrum, tossing nearly every belonging she possessed and screaming incoherently, Alexis had simply collapsed onto her bed and cried herself to sleep. For the next week she just laid there, crying herself hoarse in between short naps. What little sleep she got was torture: over and over again she heard James screaming; time and time again she watched the Nova cut her beloved in two. She spent her nights endlessly reliving the moment, feeling him leave her completely again every time.

And so today, while Gabe caught a short nap in his room, Alexis continued her trend of sleeping and crying. At the moment she was awake, staring at the wall and trying to think of something other than her dead Limiter.

A knock on the door sounded through the room but Alexis didn't stir. "Alexis, are you in there?" There was no answer from the girl within the room. "I guess you're still out of it... Well, I brought you the newspaper. It looks like we've finalized the treaty with those aliens, the UNSC. Rumor has it one of their soldiers is joining West Genetics. I also heard Cassie in Class 2 talking about it. Apparently Sam attacked one of those guys in the black armor... ODSTs, I think they're called. She would've killed him if Charlotte hadn't stepped in and vouched for him. She said he was a friend of hers then led him off to see Sister Margret."

Something about this statement stirred a memory inside the Pandora's head. A black-armored male falling from the sky in a metal egg and killing two Nova. She remembered the man's face, barely visible when his visor had unpolarized. He'd been young, perhaps close to her own age. Those eyes that had gazed at her from within his armored helm had seen a lot, that much was clear. He may have been close to her age but he was clearly part of a completely different world. She rolled over onto her back, staring at the ceiling and wondering what that world was like. Did the Nova exist there too? Or were there new dangers she couldn't even begin to imagine?

Outside the room, the other Pandora had leaned up against her door. "You know, I don't want to nag you or try to force you or anything, but you really should come out. At least come have lunch with us. Charlotte's dying to see you! You might even get a chance to meet the new guy!" At this statement Alexis just rolled her eyes. She didn't want to meet the new soldier no matter what world he was from. She just wanted to be left alone.

A few hours later, in the cafeteria of the West Genetics Academy...

Gabe stepped through the double doors of the cafeteria and took a good look around from behind his helmet. He was still clad in his jet-black armor, although he'd left his laser and his primary weapon behind in his room. For now he only carried his pistol and knife tucked away in their respective holders.

Students passed by him as he stood there, some giving him interested looks while continuing on their way towards the available food. The place looked more like a buffet than a mess hall.. no, a wedding feast or something of that sort. The food looked fancy and expensive, as did the dinnerware. It was as if all of these so-called warriors were pampered and spoiled in between battles.

'No wonder these guys are getting their asses kicked,' Gabe thought.

"Gabriel, over here!" A familiar voice caught his ear from across the room. Looking in that direction, Gabe could see Charlotte waving him over to her table. He pushed past a couple of younger students who watched him with interested then began chattering excitedly once he was out of earshot.

When Gabe arrived at the table he found it to be occupied by a number of people. Charlotte stood up and greeted him then began introductions. There was a long-haired guy named Ivan sitting next to Charlotte who turned out to be her Limiter. There were also a half-dozen others, four Pandoras and two Limiters. Gabe recognized one of the Pandoras as one of the girls that had carried Alexis off on the night that he'd fought against the Nova. This particular Pandora, an Asian girl named Lina, gave him a warm smile and shook his hand.

"So what do you think of our academy so far?" she asked as he sat down across from Charlotte, in between Lina and a Limiter named Devon.

"I'm still not too sure," he replied honestly. He took his helmet off and set it on the table in front of him as he hadn't gotten himself a plate yet. "It's nowhere near what I'd expect from a military facility. Everything is so relaxed here. You'd think this was all a game or something.."

Several of the others around the table exchanged glances, some of them even looking mildly offended. Charlotte just laughed a little before speaking up. "Well, that's because we're not like you. Most Pandoras and Limiters come from well-known and often wealthy families. On top of that, our training is a lot harder than you realize. Combat ability is everything here so everything we do is to strengthen ourselves both as human beings and as fighters. You'll understand that a bit better once this year's Carnival starts up."

Gabe raised an eyebrow. "Carnival?"

Lina was the one to answer this question. "It's a battle between Pandoras. We enter into battle and fight each other in order to determine who the strongest Pandora is. Our rankings in the Carnival are absolute and it establishes chain of command among our year. That way the strongest Pandora always lead the weakest."

Gabe shook his head, hardly believing what he had just heard. "So what happens if you get a Pandora who's stronger than everyone else but dumber than a box of rocks?"

"Well, that Pandora wouldn't get very far then," Charlotte said around her glass of water. "It takes more than just brute strength to fight a Pandora. You have to learn to outthink your enemy as well as outmatch their strength. If you want to be number one you have to be the strongest physically and mentally."

Gabe fell silent while the others started up a new conversation. A battle against a Pandora... He'd been easily outclassed by that girl from this morning. Would he stand even the ghost of a chance against one in a real fight? He began trying to think of ways to counter that speed. So engrossed in his thoughts was he that he didn't catch on to the conversation around him at first.

".. Did you take the newspaper up to her again Lina?" Charlotte asked of the girl next to Gabe.

"I did," Lina said. "Same as usual though, she didn't come out or say anything. I read off some of the headlines to her like always. Maybe she'll get curious about Mister Kinkaid and come out?"

"Poor Alexis..." Devon shook his head sadly. "I can't imagine what she's going through. I panicked enough when Sophia got hurt just a little. Losing James entirely..." The entire table went quiet.

"Wait, Alexis?" Gabe snapped back to reality, turning towards Devon. "What about her?"

"Haven't you been listening? She's shut up in her room still. Won't see anyone."

Gabe nodded. "Yeah, Charlotte mentioned that. I know she said it's a bad idea, but I want to meet Alexis. She saved my life, y'know. Besides, maybe I can help her. Maybe your efforts to get her motivated again are just missing the old Helljumper touch." He gave a cocky little grin and looked around at the others. Somehow he was expecting to catch someone's fist with his face.

Charlotte looked as if she might make that expectation come to life. "Yes, because your 'Helljumper touch' is just oh-so-helpful. And what will happen if she takes offense to something you say and decides to take out some of her emotions on you? You got clobbered by the last Pandora that took offense to your presence, remember?"

Gabe laughed, although he was watching Charlotte closely now in case she decided to strike. "Believe it or not, we Marines can be quite charming when we want to be. Besides, I wasn't ready for that chick. I'll be ready for this one, don't worry."

A voice sounded from behind him and a cold edge pressed against his neck. "Shall we test that readiness?" Gabe glanced back over his shoulder to see... Charlotte? His eyes darted back to the seat she'd been sitting in just an instant before and found it empty. She'd managed to cross the table and get a weapon to him before he even knew she was going to move.

"... You've got to teach me how to do that someday," he said lightly.

"Listen Gabriel," Charlotte said in a cold, serious voice. "This will be your only warning. Stay away from Alexis. If you try to bother her, I'll cut you open myself. Are we clear?" Gabe nodded, surprised by her sudden change of attitude. "Good." And like that she was back to her normal cheerful self. Her weapon vanished as she sat back down next to Ivan and returned to her glass of water. "So anyway, we have classes this afternoon. You don't have to attend until tomorrow, but if you'd like you can join us today and see what it's like."

Gabe nodded again, still a bit surprised by the sudden changes in attitude. It took him a moment to snap out of it, but when he did he nodded towards Charlotte's hand. "How'd you do that, anyway? I saw that other girl make a weapon disappear into thin air as well. Is it some sort of invisibility trick or something?"

Charlotte laughed lightly and raised her hand. At once her weapon appeared, materializing in a burst of multicolored light. "It's called a Volt Weapon," she explained. "It's something we Pandora can do. Basically we recombine matter around us into weapons that can harm the Nova. Every Pandora's weapon is unique to that person. For example, mine is called Heart of Glory, and it's entirely my own. Interestingly enough, we also have Volt Textures that provide armor and some limited enhancements. We can even make our clothes out of them! It's super useful!"

"I see..." Gabe studied the weapon before him. "Is that something you can learn?"

"If you're asking for yourself, then no. Only Pandoras can do it. Guys can't control stigmata to the point where something like that is possible." At this point Heart of Glory vanished and Charlotte began clearing up her area. "It's almost time for class, guys."

Lina leaned forward to get Gabe's attention. "Will you be joining us, Mister Kinkaid?"

Gabe shook his head. "Nah... I think I'm going to explore the school a bit. I'd like to get to the point where I don't need my helmet to find my way around." This caused the others to glance at eachother again. They were probably wondering just what kind of aid his helmet provided, but he wasn't about to tell them. After all, a man had to have his secrets, right?

Over the next few hours, Gabe explored the school on his own. He was even starting to get fairly good at navigating the facility. This exploration was monitored by two different parties, each with a different goal in mind.

One of the parties was Admiral Lucia Hartman, high above on the bridge of the UNSC Ace of Spades. Repair work was continuing around her, but the admiral was more interested in the lone ODST down there on the ground.

The ship's AI holotank activated next to her. A glowing, transparent man appeared on the pedestal. "Ma'am," he said in a synthesized voice. "I have finished the BIOS update you requested. However, I must once again remind you of my concerns regarding this project. If the Chavalier organization discovers that we're developing countermeasures against their Pandora-class warriors..."

"I understand the risks, Lodestone. But I need to protect my men in battle. And if we can't see what our allies are doing, how can we coordinate with them?" The Admiral's eyes left the viewscreen. "I need to give my soldiers every tool they need for the road ahead."

"Very well. Although I do recommend saving this update until we absolutely need it." The AI vanished once more, leaving the Admiral to watch the video feed from Gabriel's helmet.

At the same time, another party was watching the ODST from a window.

Minutes before the conversation between Lodestone and Admiral Hartman, a figure had strolled easily down the halls of the fourth-year girl's dorm. Sister Margret stopped in front of room 343. There was a stack of newspapers on the floor in front of the room that clearly hadn't been touched in a week.

Using her staff key to unlock the room, Sister Margret stepped over the stack of papers and into the room of Alexis Tannar. Her eyes took in the mess the distraught Pandora had made as she walked towards the window. Alexis didn't move, awake but pretending to be asleep in order to avoid conversation.

"I understand your pain," Margret said. The older woman stood by the window, watching the goings-on outside. A pair of Pandora were sparring in the evening light. "However, there are things more important than us in this world. We still have a duty to do. Our job is not finished until the world is safe from the Nova."

Alexis didn't move. She knew what her headmistress was saying was true, but she couldn't face it. Not without her James. There was no way Margret could understand just what losing James had done to her.

"You might be interested to know that your new friend has joined us at this academy," Margret said. "Corporal Gabriel Kinkaid. He was the warrior that saved your life, twice if I recall. I'm told he's asked about you several times, Miss Tannar. Perhaps you'd like to thank him?"

"For what?" Alexis muttered, glaring at the wall next to her bed.

"For saving you. For putting his life on the line so that others may live." Sister Margrets eyes locked on a familiar black shape rounding a corner. The sparring Pandoras stopped their training and turned towards the newcomer.

"He should've stayed out of it," the Pandora grumbled.

"Maybe he saved you because it's his duty?" Margret suggested. "Or maybe it was so you can return the favor someday." Down on the open field she could see the other Pandoras surrounding Gabe. One of them was standing a bit in front of the others. As Margret watched the lead one produced a Volt Weapon. "Maybe you've got a chance to repay him right now."

"What do you mean?" Alexis asked. She didn't want to care, but there was something about the way her headmistress had spoken that didn't seem right.

"Come see for yourself." Margret stood to the side so Alexis, still wearing her uniform from the fight, could join her at the window.

Down on one of the fields, things were looking bad for Gabriel Kinkaid.

He'd come around a corner looking for the restroom that was supposed to be in this area. Instead he'd found a group of girls training, including Samantha from before and her Limiter. Apparently this Samantha chick had a chip on her shoulder, because she and her friends had spread out and boxed him in. Now the ODST was face-to-face with his previous assailant.

"You know," Samantha said with a wicked smile. "I don't see Charlotte here to save you this time. I think this is a perfect opportunity to teach you your place, alien." The other Pandoras laughed at her comments. They reminded Gabe of a pack of Grunts watching an Elite bear down on a lone human. It made his blood boil.

"Step off, Pandora." As he spoke he unfastened his holster, his fingers wrapping around the grip of his pistol. "I'd hate to have to embarrass you in front of your flunkies."

At this the other Pandoras went quiet, watching their leader and her prey with interest. "Pretty big words for someone who can't even use a Volt Weapon," Samantha shot back. "I hope you've got more than just that little peashooter to hit me with." As she spoke her own weapon, a sword, appeared in her hands.

Gabe drew his weapon with practiced ease, a lightning flash of motion. In less than a second his weapon was up and firing. The 12.7mm SAP/HE rounds tore through the airspace between the weapon and the Pandora almost instantly... but that Pandora was already gone. The others scattered when the ODST started shooting, but Samantha had flat disappeared.

A flicker of motion caught Gabes eye and he turned but didn't find anything. A second flicker, then a third... it was as if she was everywhere around him at once.

Without warning her blade connected with his chestplate, biting into the titanium-A plating but not penetrating. Gabe found himself tossed back by the force of her attack. "You're weak, Helljumper!" The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. "I'm not even fighting seriously yet!"

A barrage of impacts battered the ODST, leaving large gashes in his armor. He couldn't even see her coming. He could only feel her weapon hitting him over and over again, battering him without hesitation or mercy.

Just when things didn't seem like they could get worse, his VISR display blacked out...

Meanwhile, onboard the UNSC Ace of Spades...

"Dammit Lodestone, upload the update! Give the kid a chance!" Admiral Hartman punched the arm of her command chair. She was still watching Gabes video feed when the Pandoras had surrounded him. "He's going to die down there!"

"If I attempt to update his BIOS remotely, he may be even more vulnerable than before until the update completes. Also, his helmet will require major repairs if he loses power during..."

"I dont care!" The AI stopped talking when Hartman cut him off. "Just do it! I'm not just going to watch him die like that!"

"Very well. Uploading BIOS update. His VISR will go dark for six seconds while the new system installs." On cue the video feed vanished, replaced with a screen that said "No Signal."

"Hang in there kid," Hartman whispered. "Help's coming."

Down on the ground...

Gabe couldn't see anything around him for a few seconds. He was just about to start running in some random direction and hope he could escape when he noticed the power indication inside his helmet flashing. A moment later his VISR display returned. A banner obscured his vision for a moment with a message saying "BIOS update complete."

When the banner vanished Gabe knew something had changed. He still couldn't see Samantha, but there were now dotted lines drawn around him. It took him a moment to realize that the red-highlighted blue that was his attacker was following those paths. So, the update included a protocol that predicted a Pandoras attack path...

Gabe waited for an instant then lashed out, grabbing at the air. At once his fingers closed around the blade of Samantha's weapon. He felt the weapon cutting through his fingerless gloves and into his skin but he didn't care. His other hand came up rapidly, finger tightening on the trigger of his sidearm. The weapon barked three times in quick succession.

Gabe knew he'd hit his target. Not only did he hear her scream and feel her retreat, but he could see blood splattering across his armor. Those bullets carried high-explosive charge with them that detonated inside the target's body, causing serious collateral damage.

Samantha reappeared several feet away, clutching her bloody shoulder. He'd gotten one into her weapon arm, one into her shoulder, and one into her side. The Pandora glared at him, breathing hard.

"I was going to let you off with just a beating but now you're gonna to die!" The girl stood a little straighter and brought her weapon up. Gabe didn't have time to prepare himself. Almost instantly after speaking Samantha charged, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake. Gabe didn't even have time to brace himself...

.. nor would he need to.

There came the sharp sound of two weapons colliding. Gabes eyes widened a new figure just seemed to materialize in front of him. A figure with a whole lot of white hair...

"Alexis!" Samantha darted back, her weapon held to the side. "This isn't your fight. Step aside!"

Alexis glanced back at the ODST behind her then took a step towards Samantha. She held her own weapon, a long staff with a scythe-like blade at each end, one-handed and behind her back. "I don't know why you've decided to attack him, but if you proceed I will not hesitate to kill you where you stand. Go see the nurse, get patched up." Her voice lowered at this point into a cool, deadly flow of words. "And don't ever let me catch you bothering him again, Samantha van Houten."

The other Pandora looked like she wanted to argue at first. Gabe watched Alexis tighten her grip on her weapon. Then, thankfully, Samantha backed down. Alexis watched her leave then turned her gaze to Gabe, who tensed a bit but made sure to holster his weapon.

Alexis approached Gabe wordlessly, her eyes tracing over his form. She stopped only a foot or so from him and examined the damage done to his armor. For a moment neither spoke. Gabe wasn't sure if she was going to attack him or not so he didn't relax.

Finally the Pandora turned and walked past him, stopping a few feet away. "Follow," she said quietly before walking off once more.

Meanwhile, on the bridge of the UNSC Ace of Spades...

Sergeant Davis breathed a sigh of relief. He'd gotten the BIOS update as well, all ODSTs on the Ace of Spades had. At the event he'd made his way up to the bridge to investigate, only to find his rookie under attack. Now he stood with his hands on the back of Hartman's command chair, watching the feed.

"Whoever that chick is, she just saved his ass again." The sergeant rubbed his head wearily. "I wanna shake her hand... right after I gut that little piece of shit that keeps attacking him!"

"Stand down, soldier." Admiral Hartman killed the video feed as Gabe began following Alexis at her request. "Those idiots are treating war like it's just a game for children. Unfortunately, Corporal Kinkaid will have to survive in those conditions. Therefore he will have to handle this as if it were a squabble between two schoolchildren. And what would've happened if you kept running to your father for help when people were a dick to you in highschool?"

"Good point.."

"Besides, his shame would look bad on all of us. All we can do is hope that he can keep it together through his enrollment with the Genetics facility." Hartman stood up and left at that, leaving Davis to contemplate his subordinates' chances down there.

Minutes later...

Gabe had followed Alexis wordlessly into one of the taller class buildings. They made their way up the seemingly endless flights of stairs until they reached the rooftop. There Alexis climbed onto the roof of the access shed and sat down with her legs hanging over the side. Gabe followed and sat down beside her, watching a storm build up on the horizon.

"So.." he finally said.

Alexis was quiet for a while, just staring out at the stormclouds. Gabe fell silent beside her and just watched the sky. Eventually he took off his helmet and set it next to him. The cool evening air felt good on his skin.

After a few more minutes Alexis finally spoke up. "Let me ask you something. That night... why did you save me?"

Gabe thought about it for a moment. "Well, I guess it's because that's my job. I'm a soldier of the United Nations Space Command Marine Corps. My existence revolves around protecting people." His voice grew quiet. "There's been a lot of times where I couldn't save people. I've seen entire planets destroyed and couldn't do a damn thing for the people on them. So any chance I get to save a life, I'll take it."

Alexis didn't speak for a bit after that, so Gabe spoke again. "How about this... why did you save my life? Why did you save the SPARTANs and the rest of my squad?"

Her blue eyes didn't leave the clouds but Gabe could see a change in them. "I.. I don't know. I guess.." There was a pause, then the girl gave her answer. "I guess I just didn't want to see anyone else die."

Gabe smiled at her answer. "Then that makes you and me the exact same thing. We've both seen way too much death we both have a duty to try and prevent it."

Alexis thought about it for a moment then nodded. James had once said something similar to her.. although that thought made her want to start crying again.

"S-so..." She cast around for a subject to distract herself from her fallen friend. "You're a warrior... and it doesn't sound like you'd seen the Nova before that night. So what exactly do you fight? What caused that death you try to prevent?" Gabe's face went dark in a look halfway between pain and hatred. "I'm sorry," Alexis said quickly. "I shouldn't have asked.."

"No, it's alright." Gabe took a breath and laid back on the roof, staring straight up. "Back home, humans have settled hundreds of planets. But among the stars we found something terrible. There's this collection of alien races called the Covenant. They're powerful, they're determined, and their numbers are nearly limitless. For whatever reason, they absolutely hate humans. They show up, smash our fleets, attack the planet to take anything useful, then they retreat and bomb the planet from orbit. Their weapons boil away the oceans and the atmosphere and melt the land until it's all just glassy rock. I've seen countless planets glassed, including my homeworld. And we've been at this for thirty years now."

Alexis finally broke her gaze from the storm and looked back at Gabe, eyes wide. Now she understood what she'd seen in his eyes that night they'd met. To him, the Nova were the Covenant, and she had been every life lost on those glassed planets.

Before either of them could say anything the school began to ring with alarms. Both the Pandora and the ODST stood, Gabe grabbing his helmet as he went. A voice could be heard over the school-wide PA system, saying words that made both of their blood run cold.

"All students prepare for combat! Multiple S-type Novas detected! Repeat, Multiple S-type Novas are attacking the Ace of Spades!"


	5. Chapter 5

There wasn't much in the galaxy that could rattle a SPARTAN-II. They'd been trained since the age of six, augmented with the very best of human technology, and had faced decades of warefare of all types. For something to make a SPARTAN nervous, it had to be pretty damn scary.

Apparently, the Nova were pretty damn scary.

Jeremy-049 slammed a fresh magazine into the receiver of his rifle. He and his fellow SPARTANS had utilized high-power SR99 anti-materiel rifles, a pair of rocket launchers, and an M6 Grindel/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle against one of the Nova to no effect. The massive creature was making its way towards the bow of the Ace of Spades, cutting down Marine teams that tried to stop it. A barricade had been created near the end of the deck. Behind this barricade were two Scorpion tanks and half a dozen stationary M68 ALIM cannons. Each of those guns operated in much the same fashion as the ships heavy MAC cannon, just on a smaller scale. Each gun fired a 25mm projectile at a muzzle velocity of 44,880 feet per second, just under MACH 40.

Now those guns opened up on the Nova, spewing hyperaccelerated projectiles at the inbound alien. Finally, after what felt like hours of fighting, cracks began to develop in the Nova's chest armor under the combined fire of the SPARTANS and the Marines manning the guns at the barricade.

Rain pounded at Jeremy-049s armor as he moved to get a better firing angle at the Nova. The ship had descended so that the Genetics facility below them could send aid via their own helicopters. Apparently they were supposed to send Pandora teams to help, but that had been an hour ago. Now the storm had reached the Ace of Spades, forcing the Marines to deal with high winds, heavy rain, and slippery decks. One guy had already fallen, although he was caught by a particularly observant Pelican pilot and suffered no injuries.

One of the other SPARTANS, Tess-102, crouched down behind a low wall that Jeremy was using for cover. Jeremys eyes went to her, noticing a large gouge taken out of her armor by one of the Nova's tentacles. The other SPARTAN made a quick hand signal that Jeremy understood: things were bad and the others wanted orders. As squad leader, Jeremy was in charge of making that happen. His helmeted head came up again and he pumped a few rounds from his MA5B at the Nova while taking stock of the situation.

The ten SPARTANs that had come with the Ace of Spades were engaged with the Nova, dodging its tentacles and hitting the target with everything they had. Three of the SPARTANs counting Tess had lost their shields in the fight and were waiting for them to recharge, but all of the supersoldiers were unharmed. The Marines weren't so lucky, however. There were bodies scattered everywhere, some dead, some dying. Two fireteams had rushed the Nova against orders. Those poor souls were now in various states of screwed. Down at the other end of the ship it seemed things were even worse. The SPARTANs had been ordered to hold the forward section of the ship, so that left the stern to the ODSTs and the regular Marine forces. From the radio chatter, it sounded like the UNSC forces down there were having a hell of a time holding their foe back... and it sounded like they were dropping like flies.

A new sound joined the symphony of the battle. Jeremy's ears caught the sound of rotor blades beating at the air from somewhere behind him. Since the only rotor-based aircraft the UNSC posessed were Falcons, and this ship had none of those, it made ense that the sound was coming from Chevalier forces approaching to assist them at long last. The SPARTAN keyed his helmet mic, broadcasting on both UNSC and Chevalier channels.

"This is sierra-zero-four-niner calling any inbound Chevalier forces. Deploy Pandora and Limiter fireteams at the ship's midsection and send them towards the stern to assist UNSC forces in that sector. Longsword fighters are being launched to provide fire support. Sierra-oh-four-niner out!"

As soon as Jeremy cut his transmission he spotted three twin-rotor VTO/L craft coming over the Marine barricade towards the nose of the ship. The aircraft passed over the Nova then lowered down near the middle of the Ace of Spades. Jeremy watched them for a second then keyed his mic again, this time on a closed channel to the SPARTANs.

"Alright, break from current attack pattern and rendezvous by hatch L-22. Attempt to slow the Nova in any way possible!" Nine blue acknowledgement lights winked on his display. The SPARTAN glanced once more at Tess then set off at a run, firing his rifle up at the Nova as he went.

Meanwhile, towards the stern of the ship...

Gabe charged down the length of the ship, his laser in his hands and ready to go once he got in range of the Nova. The Pandora teams that had been sent up were already in position, breaking into their formations and preparing to hit the Nova. On the other side of the creature he could see a Marine barricade... and a lot of bodies. The sight made his hands shake and his heart race. Death was dancing tonight.

A Pandora with a familiar white braid shot past him at that point, double-scythe trailing behind her. Alexis had insisted on going with him on this fight although she wound't say why she wanted to. When they'd exited the transport helicopter she'd stayed near him rather than rushing on ahead with the other Pandoras. Now that he was in range of the Nova, however, it seemed that she was more willing to fight.

The Nova took notice of it's new assailants and began to turn, its tentacles lashing out at the Pandoras. The women dodged easily and set about striking at the creatures chest area. Alexis, however, stayed on the ground a few yards in front of Gabe in a defensive stance. Apparently she intended to watch over him rather than hit the Nova directly. That was fine with Gabe, who brought his weapon to bear.

"Laser up!" he roared. "Cover your ears, people!"

The Spartan Laser fired and caused Gabe to stagger a bit from it's colossal recoil. As he waited for the weapon to cool down he rushed forward, looking to get a bit better line of fire. At least, that was his intention.

Out of nowhere one of the Nova's tentacles wrapped around him, lifting him skyward. In his shock he tried to struggle but ended up dropping his laser. From this new vantage point he could see where his shot had hit the Nova, directly over it's core. Between his attack and those of the Pandoras, the creature was badly damaged. Its core pulsed brightly before him, almost teasingly.

"Fuck you!" Gabe yelled. He managed to free himself from the tentacles grasp and ran along the blade-like appendage, jumping at the Novas carapace once he thought he was close enough. His standard-issue combat knife bit into the Novas hull just above the core and he hung there by the weapon, fumbling with a grenade on his belt. He managed to wedge the frag in between a shard of the Novas armor and its core. He ripped his knife free of the Nova and began to fall...

.. only to have his descent halted rather abruptly. Something caught his wrist as he fell and he felt his shoulder dislocate. Pain screamed through his body from injury and yell of shock and pain escaped his lungs. Below, he could hear Charlotte and Alexis both calling his name in panicked voices.

Gabes eyes opened and he tilted his head back, seeing his hand caught by a large chunk of the Nova's armor. His weight was keeping him stuck there. There was no way to free himself... or was there? His free hand went to his pistol intending to draw it and shoot at the damaged armor section. If he hit the armor it might release him, and if he blew his own hand off... well, the Chevalier had regenerative technology, and he knew there was a flash-cloning unit on the Ace. However, something else happened before he could unhook the strap on his holster.

The grenade detonated.

The blast of the grenade ripped the Novas core apart, causing it to explode violently. Shards of the core punched straight through Gabes armor and buried themselves into his body. At that point the broken armor section holding him broke all the way, causing the ODST to fall. Not that he knew this, however. The pain of core fragments ripping through his body had pushed his body past its limits and he had fallen unconscious.

"Gabriel!" Alexis' voice rang out as the soldier fell, high and clear even through the storm and the raging battle. Most of the Pandora were already leaving to help the SPARTANs with the other Nova, but Alexis moved in the opposite direction. Her feet pounded the metal hull of the Ace of Spades as she rushed to catch Gabe, fearing that he might be dead and not wanting him to die on her.

"Acceleration!" she cried.

The Pandora seemed to vanish in a blur of motion. In fact she was moving at a hyperaccelerated rate. She launched herself off of an overturned Warthog and into the air, catching the ODST in mid-fall. She landed near the Marine barricade in a one-kneed crouch, Gabe held safely in her arms. She looked up at the surviving Marines with tears building in her eyes. "Get him a medic, please! He's going to die!" She sounded close to hysterics and in a way she was. Alexis stayed close when a medic crouched nearby and set to work on the Helljumper, holding his hand and pleading with him not to die. Charlotte and Ivan stood nearby, watching this but not saying a word.

The cold rain continued to fall all around them.

Gabe found himself floating in a blue of light and sound and color. He didn't know where he was, only that he was. Somewhere, there was pain, but he wasn't sure that it was his body that hurt. Hell, he wasn't even sure he had a body.

Somewhere in the distance he heard a voice crying out to him, begging him not to die. Die? He didn't want to die... was he dying?

The swirl of color and light and sound solidified into darkness. Gabe felt his body solidify as well. He looked down and saw that he was wearing his old boot camp clothes: black trousers, boots, and a black shirt with his last name on the left and the UNSCDF emblem on the right.

He felt rather than heard something behind him. The ODST turned to find a woman standing before him. Or rather, it looked like a woman at first. It's body was well-shaped in a womanly way. The term hotter than hell came to mind. Her waist-length hair and soft-looking facial features only increased her attractiveness. But as Gabe studied her he realized that something was... off. She wasn't clothed but seemed to have a long coat on all the same, as if the coat simply grew from her. Her body was lined with the same tones as...

"Holy shit," Gabe breathed. "You're a Nova, too?!"

The woman/Nova simply smiled its creepy smile and began drifting ever closer to him. Gabe took a couple of rapid steps back and looked around for a weapon, finding none. There was nothing to defend himself with, not even his trusty pistol. The Nova woman came closer, arms stretching out as if she were about to hug him.

A weapon... a weapon... he needed a weapon. He would've given anything for an MA5B right about then. The image of the weapon appeared in his head... although that wouldn't do any good against his very real enemy.

Or so he thought. Suddenly he felt a weight pulling his right hand downward. His eyes went to his hand and found that an MA5B had appeared. There was something wrong about this weapon, but at the moment he didn't care. He brought the rifle up and centered it on the approaching woman.

"Get some, bitch!" Gabe pulled the trigger of his new rifle. At once the weapon fired. The muzzle flash was right, as was the sound and the recoil. Even the shells spitting forth from the weapon were right. But the bullets were wrong. Or rather, they didn't exist. Instead of bullets, this weapon sent shafts of gold light at his target. Whatever this weapon did, it was working against the Nova/woman. She fell away, falling back and landing on her back before shattering into a thousand tiny fragments.

Gabe swept the area with his new rifle before examining it further. At first it seemed to be a normal MA5B rifle. But as he examined it he noticed that the green light on the side of the weapon was red instead. He checked the ammo counter and found the normally blue screen to be red as well. The display currently displayed 01. He checked the magazine: completely full. It was then that he realized that the counter didn't display rounds in the mag.

It was a kill counter.

Six hours later, in the medical bay of the UNSC Ace of Spades...

Alexis stared up at the clock. Charlotte sat beside her, as she had for the past few hours. Gabe was still in surgery following his injuries. The other Pandoras had assisted the UNSC forces in taking down the second Nova. Meanwhile, Alexis had followed the UNSC medics down into the sick bay with Gabe. They'd taken him into surgery three hours ago to try and get the shrapnel out of his body. The troopers helmet rested in her hands, faceplate staring up at her sightlessly.

Across the room, five ODSTs stood together in a tight group. Alexis didn't recognize any of them but she knew they had to be Gabe's old squad. Their leader had come up to her and demanded to know what had happened to 'his' soldier. Now the troopers were hanging out across the room, waiting for their friend and occasionally shooting mistrustful looks at the two Pandoras in the room.

Personally, Alexis felt like she was trapped in a whirlwind. She wasn't sure why Gabes injuries had affected her so much. Perhaps she just didn't want to see another soldier die at the hands of her enemies. Or maybe she was starting to feel a sense of comradery with the young ODST. Whatever it was, she couldn't stand the thought of him dying on her too. Especially not this soon after losing James.

Charlotte looked up at the clock as well. "If he's still in surgery, it means things are going well... I think." Alexis only nodded, not willing to speak just yet.

At long last the door to the operating room opened and the ships medical officer stepped out and began walking towards the leader of the ODST squad. Two other medics wheeled out a gurney with a person laying on it. Alexis and Charlotte stood up and moved closer, and although the ODSTs glared at them the soldiers didn't stop the Pandoras from coming closer to hear what the medical officer had to say.

"I've got good news and bad news," the officer said to Sergeant Davis. "The bad news is that Lieutenant Dougherty didn't make it. I'm sorry, Sergeant."

Davis nodded emotionlessly, although his fists were clenched at his side. "And the good news?"

"The good news is that Corporal Kinkaid is alive and well. He won't be fit for combat duty for a while but he should make a full recovery." At this Alexis felt tears boiling up once more. She collapsed against Charlotte, who held her in a tight hug.

"Thank God," Alexis whispered.

"I'll be recommending to Admiral Hartman that Corporal Kinkaid be transferred to a Chevalier hospital, preferably the one at the Genetics facility," the medical officer continued.

"What the fuck did you just say?" Davis had lost his emotionless facade by that point and now looked close to ripping someone in half. "Do you mind telling me why you think it's a good idea to send MY trooper down to those savages?!"

Alexis made a move as if to turn towards Davis but Charlotte tightened her arms to keep the other Pandora still.

"Sergeant, my crew know everything there is to know about bullet wounds. We're excellent at treating plasma burns and filling in Needler craters. We can re-inflate lungs after they've been crushed by grav hammers and we can regrow an arm that's been hacked off by a plasma sword. But this Nova shit is beyond anything any of us have seen. That kid got perforated by chunks of that Nova, but there's no trace of any chunks in him anywhere. So unless you can explain that to me, I suggest we send him to people who know what they're dealing with and can give him the care he needs."

Davis glared at the two Pandoras again, as if they had somehow been responsible for Kinkaids fate. "Alright fine," he said. "But my squad and I are going down there too. I swear to God, if any of these fucking primates so much as LOOK at him wrong I'll murder every last one of the bitches!" And with that the ODST left, his squad following quietly.

Charlotte waited until the ODSTs were long gone before speaking to the medical officer. "Sir... would it be possible for us to see Corporal Kinkaid? He's our classmate and we'd like to be there for him."

The officer looked at her for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, that's fine. He's in ward six. Third door on the right. Have at, but don't expect him to wake up any time soon." The medical officer walked away and left the two Pandoras to their devices.

Alexis tore herself out of Charlottes grip, moving quickly down the hallway and to room six. As she shoved through the doors she found herself greeted by a horrible sight. Marines and crewmen lay on the different beds, many sporting horrible wounds from the battle. One of the wounded, an ODST, had lost an arm and was waiting for a replacement to be grown in a flash-cloning vat.

Gabe Kinkaid lay in a bed at the very end, his torso wrapped in bloody bandages. Alexis stopped at his bedside, gazing down at the young Helljumper. "I'm sorry, Gabriel," she whispered. "I couldn't protect you... I couldn't do my duty in the end. But you protected all of us... You did your duty and then some." She laid her hand on his for a brief moment. "I promise, I'll try to do better next time," she said. "I just... need a little help." And with those words she turned and left, Charlotte following along with a concerned look on her face.

Around them all, Death still danced.


	6. Chapter 6

"Are you fucking kidding me?!"

Sergeant Davis punched the wall next to the comm terminal. On the screen of the terminal, Admiral Hartman looked less than amused.

"Sergeant, you are proposing that I send an armed guard down to watch over one of our soldiers. Do you realize what kind of message that will send to our allies? The Chevalier barely trust us as it is!" The Admiral shook her head. "I can't allow that, Sergeant. I understand your concern for your former subordinate but he is in excellent hands." Her eyes narrowed as she glared up at the Helljumper from the screen. "And furthermore, soldier, your attitude towards our allies is deplorable! Calling them 'savages' and 'primates' when they've just helped us defend the Ace... I promise you, Sergeant, I'll have you busted back to Private if you keep that up!" The screen went dark, leaving Davis fuming.

"So.." Lieutenant Mitch Burns said from behind his C.O. "I guess we're not going down there after all?"

Davis looked around at his squad, or rather what was left of them. They'd lost a man in that battle, so counting Gabe they were down two heads. Morale was starting to fall amongst his soldiers. As their leader, he had to come up with a way to fix this...

"Alright ladies, gather 'round. Time for some brain work." Four ODSTs came closer, watching their leader. "Objective: get close to Corporal Kinkaid and provide protection if needed. Solvable: gaining permission for ground operations in the Genetics facility. Ideas, anyone?"

"Maybe offer to protect key members of their chain of command?" This came from the squads second-newest member, Corporal Joshua "Rack-Em" Carson.

"No, Hartman would see right through that one." Davis scratched his head, looking at the other three. "We need to look innocent."

"So why not offer the Chevalier forces some sort of assistance?" Mitch suggested. "Think about it.. We could offer to perform some sort of.. I dunno, maintenance or something. That'd look friendly towards the Chevalier, get the admiral off your ass, and let us keep an eye on Pinpoint."

Davis almost dismissed the idea. Almost. But something came to mind, something so perfect he was ashamed he hadn't thought of it from the very start. "That's good Mitch..." The ODST sergeant turned away and started towards the door of the drop bay. "I think we can offer something a bit more useful than ODST janitors though."

**West Genetics Academy, three days after the attack on the UNSC Ace of Spades...**

Gabes eyes flickered open. The first thing he knew as he woke was pain. His chest and shoulder was killing him. He sat up and took stock of his surroundings, instinctively reaching for his gun even though it wasn't there.

An attractive woman in a lab coat, whom Gabe vaguely recognized as the chief medical officer of the Genetics facility, entered the room. When she saw that he was awake she gave him a smile. "So, you're awake. About time.. I though you were just going to sleep your life away." She began checking over the medical instruments and monitors he was rigged up to.

"How long was I out?" Gabe rubbed his head lightly, trying to remember what had happened just before losing consciousness.

"Three days or so. You took a beating out there, kid." She shook her head, looking up at him from the monitors. "So is it true? Did you really rush a Nova with nothing but a knife and a grenade?"

Gabe nodded, not quite liking where this was going. "Wasn't my fault," he said defensively. "Bastard picked me up while I was trying to get a better shot. I ended up losing my Splazer in that mess, all I had was a knife and a pistol and a few grenades." He gave a shrug and instantly regretted it thanks to the pain in his shoulder. "It got the job done, right?"

The officer shook her head. "It's a miracle it didn't get you killed. I'll never doubt anyone who says you Helljumpers are insane again."

"Damn right we are. We cheat Death from his rightful victory..."

"No one can defeat you? You're glad to plunge feet first into Hell in the knowledge that you'll rise?" Gabe felt his mouth drop open when she finished it for him.

"How the hell..."

"Your tattoo, genius." She indicated his back, which was marked with the ODST flag of a flaming drop pod and a fanged skull. Below this were the words Gabe had just been about to recite. "Pretty badass motto, but after that stunt I think you might actually be more than just talk."

Gabe looked around the room again before speaking. "So what exactly happened, anyway? Did we kill those Nova?"

The officer nodded. "Yeah, but it was rough. Fourty-one UNSC soldiers and two Pandoras lost their lives up there." She stopped fiddling with the monitors, halted by the thought of the lives lost. "We Pandoras can handle fighting like that. If we lose a limb our stigmata let us regenerate them after a couple days. But you guys are just normal humans... You're not fit for battle against an enemy like the Nova." She shook her head. "I wish we could station some of our forces up there on that ship, that way they could protect it and the people on it."

Gabe snorted angrily, ignoring the pain that the action caused. "And just who do you think we are, lady?" The officer looked up at him, surprised. "We're not just some pack of civilians, y'know. Back home, we've been at war for thirty years now. All of us have seen death and every single one of us can fight. Yeah, we lost some soldiers up there. But we all knew the risks when we enlisted. Every single one of us is ready and willing to fight, to the death if need be."

"But that's just it! You idiots are willing to fight but you can't! You're totally ineffective against the Nova!"

"Bullshit!" Gabe was genuinely pissed at this point. "Don't you remember the night we showed up? I took one of the fuckers out myself, and the other was taken down by UNSC forces! Not your damn Pandoras! And up there on the Ace, I took out another Nova! Yeah, the Pandoras helped but it's my kill! And our boys managed to hold the fuckers back for an hour or so before your spoiled little brats got there! So don't tell me we can't fight! You can take that holier-than-thou attitude and shove it straight up your..."

"I'm sorry." The officer cut him off before he could finish. "I didn't mean to say that your comrades were powerless. I just meant that way too many of your people died up there. I don't want to see anyone else die in battle. Especially not when it's not even your fight."

"Not our fight?" Gabe sighed. "Lady, we've been fighting to keep harm away from Earth for thirty years. To see this Earth under attack, even if it's not our Earth... it's still Earth. You're still humanity. It's still what we've fought to protect. It's as much our fight as it is yours."

The medical officer didn't respond to that and so Gabe remained quiet as well. Finally she stood, walking towards the door. She stopped with her hand on the handle. "A couple of your classmates have been hanging around in the hallway for a while now. Feel like seeing them?"

"Yeah, sure." Gabe said, half expecting to get the same treatment from whoever was out there as he'd gotten from the medical officer.

The woman left without another word but the room wouldn't remain quiet for long. The door flew open and four people charged into the room: Lina, Devon, Ivan, and Charlotte. A moment later, moving slower and looking anywhere but at Gabe, Alexis entered as well and stood in the corner away from everyone else.

"Gabe, you idiot!" Charlotte stood next to him with her hands on her hips. "What were you thinking, trying to die on us like that?!"

Devon shook his head and shoved past Charlotte, putting a hand on Gabes uninjured shoulder. "Man, I heard you guys were tough but daaaaamn.. Killing a Nova with a grenade and a knife. You should get a medal for that one!"

"Yeah, no kidding." This came from Ivan, who stood beside and just slightly behind Charlotte. "It's no wonder the new ODST class is such a big hit."

Gabe raised an eyebrow at this news. "Wait.. ODST class?"

"It's some stupidity a group of your comrades came up with," Charlotte said in an annoyed voice. Ivan took a rolled-up paper from his pocked and handed it to Gabe.

The paper turned out to be a flyer with the ODST flag behind a group of Limiters. Or rather, what were supposed to be Limiters. These guys were in Limiter uniforms, but they were buff, armed with rather large guns, and way too badass-looking. A group of Pandora were clinging to the Limiters, looking up at them admiringly. Below this image were the details on an optional class for Limiters only, to be taught by ODSTs.

"So... what exactly is this class?" Gabe handed the paper back to Ivan, who rolled it up again and put it in his pocket.

"Apparently someone on your side mentioned to someone on ours that the Limiters don't get enough training. Somehow the idea came up to have a squad of ODSTs come down and train our Limiters in basic combat and survival."

Gabe had a feeling he knew exactly who was behind this one. "So... any of you sign up?"

"Are you kidding?" Devon gave a wide grin. "Ivan and I were the first ones! Half the Limiters in the school have already joined. Classes start Friday." The Limiter stared off into space, a look of bliss on his face.. "Toughen up.. survive the roughest fights.. impress the Hell out of your Pandora... Plus, everyone's talking about you man!" He snapped back to reality while Lina and Charlotte just shook their heads. "The ODST that took out a Nova by himself. I've heard a lot of guys talking about wanting to get in good with you so you can teach them to be badass like that. Chicks dig badasses, right?"

Gabe shook his head. "Yeah, but I doubt these Pandoras are into necrophilia. What happens when a Limiter goes into battle and gets overexcited, tries to impress his partner and ends up dead? It just seems like a bad idea to me.."

"Aw, come on dude!" Devons eyes narrowed. "I know what's up... You just don't want to lose your advantage over us. You think you'll be a total chick magnet if you're the biggest badass around!" Gabe laughed at this one, as did Lina and Ivan. Charlotte still looked annoyed.

"Alexis, get over here!" she snapped. "After all the fuss you made about him, you're not even going to say hello?" All eyes went to Alexis, who instantly turned red and darted out of the room.

"Hell was that about?" Gabe asked. "When did she go from ice-cold badass to blushy schoolgirl?"

Charlotte turned on him this time, looking angrier than ever. "Probably when SOMEBODY did exactly what I told him not to! What happened between you two, anyway? How'd you get her out of her room? Why's she so worried about you?"

Gabe instinctively moved away from the enraged Pandora. "I don't have a clue! She just showed up out of nowhere when that Van Houten chick came after me again! Wait.." His head tilted slightly in confusion. "Worried about me?"

"Yes, you moron!" Charlotte was quite terrifying by this point, halfway between anger and insanity from Gabes point of view. "She was the one that rescued you after that grenade went off. She didn't leave your side until the UNSC medics took you in for surgery. She wouldn't leave the lobby until she got to see you after your surgery! She even braved that uncivilized brute of a sergeant! And since you got down here she's been skipping classes to sit outside in case you woke up!"

Gabe looked towards the door, wondering about the white-haired Pandora. What was her interest in him?

**Meanwhile, in the headmistress's office at the West Genetics facility...**

Sister Margret looked over the reports before her. Two medics including the one that had just had an argument with Gabe stood before her desk.

"And you're sure about this?" The Sisters voice sounded just a tiny bit shocked.

"There's no doubt. His body has assimilated the Nova core tissue. There are faint traces of stigmatic material in every area. It's almost as if the tissues were broken down and spread through his entire body. You were right about his compatibility, but on this level?"

"And there's no outward change?"

The woman Gabe had argued with shook her head. "He's proud, bullheaded, and has a little bit of a temper. From what I gathered that's normal though. Physically he's in prime condition. Once his wounds heal properly he'll be back to his old self." Her voice lowered and she leaned forward, resting her hands on the Sisters desk. "Are you still considering partnering him up with a Pandora?"

"Yes." The headmistress stood up, turning to the window and looking out over her academy. "In fact, I've compiled a list of ranking Chevalier Pandoras who have lost their partners recently. Give him the list and have him choose a partner." The two medics nodded and left, leaving Margret to her thoughts.

"Just what do you have in store for us, Corporal Kinkaid?" she mused.

**Twenty minutes later, in the West Genetics Infirmary...**

"So I can go, right?" Gabe rubbed the spot where the medical officer he'd argued with, who'd finally introduced herself as Elize, had pulled one of the EKG electrodes from his chest.

"Yeah, you're free," she said. "But there's a catch." She tossed a folder onto the ODSTs lap. Gabe opened it to find dossiers on roughly twenty different women.

"What's this all about?" he asked, reading over the first one. Rebecca Townsend, 23. Nicknamed "The Laughing Hammer." A rather tough-looking yet attractive redhead.

"Sister Marget thinks you could make a hell of a Limiter. You're to pick a Pandora to partner with from those available. Whichever one you pick will be flown out here to perform a baptism with you." The medic laughed a little at the shocked look on Gabes face. "What, were you hoping I'd partner up with you instead?" She poked his forehead. "You are rather cute, and I won't pretend the whole badass thing doesn't get me going a little, but I don't think I could stand leaving my post as Chief Medical Officer." Gabes look of shock only intensified, causing Elize to burst into laughter. "My my, I didn't think you'd fall for that one!" She left the room, rolling the cart with the medical monitors on it out with her. "Pick wisely, Helljumper. You only get one. And no, that one can't be me." And with that joke she was gone.

And so Gabe dressed in a normal school uniform that had been provided for him and left, taking the folder with him. His mind was abuzz with thought. He had to partner with a Pandora... Would he still be able to fight? Or would he be forced to the sidelines like Devon and Ivan? The prospect of being shelved like that offended him a little, but if this was the job he would make it happen.

**At the same time, in Room 343 of the fourth-year girl's dorms...**

Alexis sat on the edge of her bed, holding Gabes helmet in her hands. The titanium shell was a fairly standard piece of ODST equipment but it still had its own personality in her eyes. She could see this helmet behind the sights of that laser cannon from before, centering his aim on the chest of a Nova. This same helmet had gazed at her as she clutched a dead man, yelling at her to run before she ended up dead as well. To her, this helmet was the same as Gabes face. It was the image of his self.

So why was she so attached to the wearer of this helmet? She wiped one of her tears off of the faceplate, noticing the words "SUCK IT COVIE!" scratched into the side of the armor. Covie... that must've been short for Covenant. The brief description he'd given her of the alien alliance came back to mind, sending a chill down her spine. Those were his Novas, his enemies.

Was it just comradery? Did she feel an attachment to him because they'd fought similar battles? Did she feel some sort of loyalty towards him for saving her life? Or was it...

Her eyes fell on a letter laying on her nightstand. A last letter from James, one he'd asked his mother to send if anything ever happened to him. She'd gotten it the day after the battle on the Ace of Spades. His last words to her were to move on, to find a new Limiter and keep fighting for what they'd believed in. It didn't make losing him hurt any less though. In fact, being told to move on by her fallen beloved made the pain a thousand times worse.

A new downfall of tears splattered across the helmet she held in her hands. She wondered what Gabe would do if he could see her at this point in time. He'd probably say she was weak and forget about her. It didn't seem like a hardened soldier like him would have time for someone as pathetic as her.

That strength... she wished she could've had that kind of composure. After everything he'd faced he was still able to live normally. He had no hesitation about charging into battle. She wondered what it was like to see the world though his eyes...

Through his eyes...

Slowly, as if afraid she might get yelled at by someone for this, the Pandora lifted Gabes helmet and turned it around. She slipped the covering down over her own head, fitting it into place. For a moment she kept her eyes closed, then she opened them to try and see a whole new world.

The helmet was still active from the battle. It's VISR system drew dull yellow outlines around every object in the room. Her own body was outlined in blue as was Gabes knife, which lay on her desk. She observed the various readouts on the heads-up display. Most were blank, but there was a small bubble at the bottom that said "PANDORA PATH PREDICTION ACTIVE."

Pandora path prediction... did that mean that he could see what path she would take? Her mind went back to the fight against Samantha Van Houten. Gabe had done something that should've been impossible in the moments before she'd arrived. He'd predicted Samanthas approach and managed to counterattack her. Was this the secret? Did he use this helmet against her?

The realization that Gabe had a weapon against Pandoras began to set in. She pulled the helmet from her head and tossed it away, feeling herself growing angry. Did the UNSC.. did Gabe not trust her? She'd followed him into battle, she'd protected him... she'd even worried about him when he was injured in the line of duty.

A knock on the door caught her attention. She stood and opened the door to find Charlotte Dufrain standing just outside with two large bottles.

"Care for some company?" her fellow Pandora asked.

Alexis walked away from the door wordlessly, sitting back down on the bed. Charlotte closed the door then took a seat on the bed next to her friend, looking her over with a concerned, almost motherly look.

"So are you going to tell me what's wrong, or do I have to play twenty questions to try and guess?" Charlottes joke was met with a cold glare from Alexis.

"Gabe... all of those UNSC bastards... they've created weapons to fight against us," the white-haired Pandora said quietly. Her hand came up and pointed at the discarded helmet. "See for yourself. They're trying to counter out our advantages."

Charlotte crossed the room and put on the helmet, looking around the room with it on. "Wow... this is interesting..." It took her a moment to spot the bubble that had angered her friend. When she did she returned to Alexis, taking off the helmet and laying it on the bed next to her. "Well, I don't think it's a weapon for sure. I mean, look at it this way. Their weapons are all ranged, right? A lot of them are really powerful too. Maybe they want to make sure they know where we're Acceleration so they don't accidentally shoot us?" Alexis gave her another quiet glare, at which point the girl sighed. "Listen, it doesn't mean they don't trust us. I mean, look at it from their point of view. They're from another universe! I'll bet we seem pretty weird to them. They're probably nervous. And Gabe's been attack twice so far by Samantha Van Houten. That in itself is reason enough to prepare for the off chance that a Pandora decides some UNSC soldiers need to stop living."

Alexis said nothing but instead stood up and walked to her desk. Her fingers traced over the weapon that laid there. What would it feel like to have that blade plunged into her flesh? Would that be the fate of any who crossed Gabriel Kinkaid and his comrades in the UNSC? She noticed a few scratches on the blade that formed letters... 'Vanessa?' She wondered who this Vanessa was..

"Come one!" Charlotte stood up, picking up the bottles she'd brought. "Why don't we have a drink and forget about this nonsense! I got the good stuff this time!" At this Alexis nodded and turned towards one of the cabinets. She took two glasses from within and set them on the desk while Charlotte brought over one of the bottles and poured.

**West Genetics fourth-years boy's dorm...**

Gabe entered his room at last, breathing a sigh of relief. It felt nice to be back in the comfort of his own room. Someone had brought his weapons and armor back and laid them out on his bed, although he noticed that his knife and helmet were gone. Maybe they'd both been lost in the fight?

He touched his armor's chest plate, sighing. There were a number of holes in the plating and plenty of blood on the armor.. his blood. He began counting the holes. One... two... three... all the way up to twenty-six. So, twenty-six chunks of that damn monster had made it into him.

"Coulda been a lot worse," he whispered.

"Damn right it could've," a voice said behind him. Gabe snatched his pistol and turned around to find Samantha Van Houten standing in his doorway. "You could've been fighting me instead."

"Why do I get the feeling you're not here to have a friendly conversation?" Gabe asked, his pistol centered on the Pandoras forehead.

"Oh, but that is why I'm here." Samantha walked into the room and jumped up onto his desk, crossing her legs and watching the ODST. "I'm not going to attack you this time. I'm just looking to chat."

"Fuck do we have to chat about? Unless you're here to tell me what you want on your tombstone next time you start shit with me." Gabe grinned. "Alexis might not be there to save your stupid ass next time."

"That's what I wanted to talk about," she said. "You and that girl seem to have gotten rather close since you got here."

"How do you figure? I've seen her three times in my entire life."

"Oh come on." Samantha leaned back, eyeing Gabe up like a dog eyeing a piece of meat. "She went and followed you into battle just to be by your side! And when you were hurt she wouldn't leave the infirmary. Anyone can see it, Gabriel Kinkaid. The pretty little Pandora has totally fallen for the brave warrior from another world. Can't say I blame her either." Her eyes drifted down his torso for a bit. "I saw what's under that shirt when they brought you through. The enemies you faced wherever you come from must've turned and fled in terror when they saw you coming."

"Flattery makes you sound like a dumbass," Gabe said. "But assume you actually know what you're talking about. Why the hell are you telling me this?"

"So you don't get burned, of course!" Samantha leaned forward and jumped off of the desk, walking towards Gabe. The ODST lowered his pistol but didn't put it down. "That girl.. she'll lead you on, and it'll probably be the best time of your life. But then she'll get bored with you at some point. And when that happens you're a dead man. She'll just leave you to die in battle, the way she did with poor James."

"Fuck off. I watched her going hysterical over that guy's corpse. There's no way in hell that was fake."

"But it was! She was simply turning on the waterworks for someone else, and you're the unlucky prey who fell for her trap!" Samantha came closer still, her fingers reaching out and touching his chest. "I just don't want you to die before we finish our rivalry is all. After that you're more than welcome to fall for the beautiful temptress. But please, don't let her get you killed before you and I can settle up!" The Pandora stood on her toes and kissed his cheek, whispering to him as she got closer. "Besides, our rivalry might turn into something good!" And with that she turned and left the room. Gabe closed his door and locked it behind her then sat down on the floor, feeling mentally exhausted.

"I oughta just plug a bomb in all their asses," he grumbled.

**Meanwhile, in Admiral Lucia Hartmans quarters on the UNSC Ace of Spades...**

"You're certain?"

"Yes ma'am." Lodestones synthesized voice sounded a bit concerned. "It appears that two different Pandoras have been examining the VISR system. Unfortunately the units microphone has been damaged. But I have identified both of the Pandoras involved." The images of two different women appeared on Hartman's console. "Fourth-year Alexis Tannar and fourth-year Charlotte Dufrain. Tannar took possession of Corporal Kinkaids helmet after it was removed by a UNSC medic during the battle three days ago. She has had it in her possession ever since."

"And you didn't think to alert me of this?" Hartman sounded a bit angry at her ships AI.

"At first it seemed like she was just holding onto it for sentimental reasons. But now that she and another Pandora have been examining it, I am unsure if that is the case. Either way, it is almost certain that our recent BIOS update has been discovered. I am sure one of the two will report their findings to their superiors within the Chevalier organization."

"And that includes the Pandora countermeasures, right?"

"Affirmative."

Admiral Hartman sighed and leaned back in her chair. "And we went ahead and let those idiots from the 105th go down there to 'teach Limiters to fight.' I swear, if he makes this worse the first thing I'll do when we get back to UNSC space will be blow Hank Davis out an airlock."

"I'll prepare the airlock now, ma'am." Turns out AI constructs understood humor too.

**Four hours later, West Genetics fourth-year mens dorm, room 303...**

Gabriel Kinkaid shot up out of his bed, grabbing frantically for the pistol under his pillow. Papers scattered everywhere as the folder containing the Pandora dossiers went flying. For a moment he sat there in his bed, gun held out in front of him. After a moment he sighed and laid back, his gun falling to his side.

Another dream about that Nova/woman/thing. This time she was holding him in her arms. When he tried to escape her he found himself being rescued by another one. This continued until he was just a lone Marine surrounded by Nova-women. It was about then that he'd woken up in a panic.

The trooper stood up and looked out the window. Somewhere across the school a few lights were still on in the fourth-year girls door. He didn't know whose light was whose, but he had an idea anyway.

Stuffed in his wardrobe was a Limiter uniform, complete with a radio. It was a slim chance, but maybe.. just maybe...

"Charlotte?" he said into the microphone. "Can you hear me?"

There was silence for a moment, then a voice came over the comm. "Gabriel! That is you, right?"

"Yeah." He turned and looked at his armor, which was piled on his chair. "Say, are you still awake? I could use someone to talk to.

More silence. "Yeah, no problem! Room 343 in the girl's dorms! We'll be waiting!"

'We?' Gabe wondered who the others were. Part of him was hoping for Alexis.

It didn't take him very long to change into the Limiter uniform he'd been assigned. The outfit seemed next to useless, but it was closer to his armor than that damn school uniform he'd been given. He made a mental note to requisition a new suit from the Ace of Spades as he hooked his holster to his belt then left the room.

The darkened school actually seemed much easier to navigate than in the daytime. It didn't take him very long at all to reach the girl's dorm. Up two flights of stairs and down a couple hallways, he found his destination. Room 343. He knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in!" came the reply.

Gabe entered the room with his eyes towards the ground. "Thanks for having me over, Charlotte. I've got..." But what he had would never be heard. He found himself cut off by an ODST-issue combat knife being pressed to his throat by a beautiful woman.

"I'm glad you came," Alexis whispered. "Now you're going to answer a few questions for me. If you can do that, I'll be nice enough to make your death quick and painless. If not..." Her lips were parted in a lovely yet terrifying smile. ".. I guess I'll have some fun with your last moments."


	7. Chapter 7

The brown eyes of Gabriel Kinkaid locked with the blue ones of Alexis Tannar. Gabe could feel the cold titanium-A of his own combat knife pressing into the flesh of his throat. He could feel her breath on his skin as she spoke, her flawless lips forming words meant for his ears alone.

"I'm glad you came. Now you're going to answer a few questions for me. If you can do that, I'll be nice enough to make your death quick and painless. If not, I guess I'll have some fun with your last moments."

Gabe was shocked for a second or two at this. Did he have time to shoot her? Could he get the blade away from his throat before she ripped into him? He knew the answer to be no on both accounts, but it didn't matter in the end. His answer would've been the same even if he did think he could take her.

"Alexis.. You don't need to go this far to get an answer out of me. Hell, you and I have fought side-by-side. You've protected me three times now, and I've done what I could for you. As far as I'm concerned we're friends. So just put the knife down and let's talk. If I know the answer and it's not some top-secret military crap, I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Alexis hesitated, glaring at him. She then reached forward and took his pistol from his holster. He heard the safety on the weapon click off as she stepped back and pointed it at him. When Alexis backed off Gabe could see Charlotte sitting on the bed and looking upset.

"Move," Alexis said. "Over there, the chair by the desk."

Gabe sat down in the indicated chair, looking up over the top of his own gun at Alexis. "Alright," he said. "So what do you want to know?"

"Why do you have weapons against the Pandoras?" Alexis demanded quickly. "Why are your people plotting against us?"

Gabe was confused for a moment until he noticed his helmet laying by the pillow on the bed. It wasn't hard to put two and two together. "Ah. I know what you're talking about. That new BIOS update that lets me see where you guys are about to hyperaccelerate, right?"

"So you're not going to deny it?"

"Why would I deny it?" Gabe asked. "In fact, I was going to tell you about it after the incident with that van Houten chick but I didn't get a chance to. You know, Nova attacks and whatnot."

"How long have you had it? Why did your people develop technology for fighting us?" Alexis sounded on the verge of insanity at this point.

"I have no clue," Gabe answered honestly. "I didn't even know this existed. I only found out about it when they uploaded it to me during the fight with van Houten!"

Alexis glared at him, weighing his words. Gabe only stared right back, not wanting to speak in case it angered her further and caused her to fire. However, Charlotte thought a different approach might work.

"Alexis, I think he's being truthful." Her voice sounded quiet and subdued, not at all like the loud, bossy, outgoing, older-sister-like girl that had chewed him out in the infirmary.

Alexis finally lowered the gun. "I guess I believe you, Gabriel Kinkaid. But I swear, if you or any of your comrades-" She never got a chance to finish those words.

**Sixty seconds previously, West Genetics Staff Quarters...**

The five ODSTs that had come from above to teach now gathered their weapons and armor, racing out of their quarters as fast as they could. Their leader had gotten an urgent transmission from Lodestone, the AI onboard the Ace of Spades. Corporal Kinkaid was in one of the girl's dorms and had been taken prisoner.

Now the Marines were moving at top speed, charging through the school in their full armor and packing heavy firepower. These boys meant business and the few late-nighters out in the halls and walkways knew better than to get in the way.

It didn't take long at all for the troops to reach the designated room. Just as Alexis was lowering the captured pistol and speaking her words of faith, Mitch kicked the door down and led the charge into the room.

There was no chance for any of the three in the room to react to the deadly precision and efficiency of the ODSTs. Two of the warriors, including Mitch, tackled Alexis to the ground. Mitch now had his knee against the girls chest and his MA5C rifle aimed directly between her eyes. Even with the weapons famed inaccuracy there was no way she'd be able to dodge if he fired. The other two subordinates approached Charlotte. The girl put her hands in the air in a surrendering pose in the face of a silenced submachine gun and an M90 shotgun. Davis himself went for Gabe, checking his fellow ODST over thoroughly.

"Are you alright kid? Did they hurt you? What happened?"

Gabe shook his head and stood up. "I'm alright Sarge. Mitch, Rex, get the hell off of her! Rack-Em and Tate, get those guns out of Charlotte's face!"

Davis took off his helmet, shocked. "Are you insane? I'm arresting this bitches!"

"Like hell you are!" Gabe snatched at the BR-55 Davis carried, turning it on his former sergeant. "I won't stand for this! Release them, NOW!"

Davis's eyes went wide. "Kid... the fuck?"

"Just call them off and I'll explain everything. I'm sorry Sarge, but its gotta be this way!"

Davis hesitated for a moment before acting. "Alright, stand down boys."

Gabe sighed and handed the rifle back to Davis. "I'm sorry Sarge."

"Apologize by explaining what the fuck just happened, soldier!"

Gabe nodded. "Well, during the battle Alexis grabbed my helmet. She thought I would get in trouble if I lost it. Same with my knife. Woulda grabbed my laser if she could've found it. She was messing around with my helmet earlier today and found the new BIOS update."

"Fuck was she messing with your gear for, soldier?" Davis's question seemed to make all of the ODSTs tense up.

"Because she's curious about us, just like I'm curious about them. Haven't you noticed what I'm wearing, Sarge?" He pulled at the flimsy Limiter vest. "Anyway, imagine this from her point of view. Your new friends just developed a countermeasure against one of your most important weapons in battle against your mutual enemies. What the hell are you going to think?"

"Well..." The sergeant didn't seem like he wanted to answer that question. "I guess I'd be rather suspicious."

"And you'd want to interrogate the fuck out of someone, yes? Well that's exactly what Alexis did. She was doing her duty and making sure there wasn't a threat to our alliance. Unfortunately she was also feeling rather hurt about the subject. Not surprising, given the fact that me and her are friends. So, hurt female does what hurt females do. She overreacted."

"I'll say," Mitch commented. "I don't think I've ever seen a woman go apeshit on you like that before."

"I have," Gabe muttered. "But that's not the point. The point is, I'd just defused the situation when you guys came blastin' in here and made shit worse!"

Davis was quiet for a moment longer. "Alright," he said finally. "So my question now is, what the fuck do we put on our report?"

Gabe just sighed and shook his head. "Alexis, Charlotte, can I ask a favor of you two?"

Both girls looked at him, both still looking a bit shell-shocked from the attack.

"Mind coming with me to talk to Admiral Hartman? Maybe if she hears your stories she won't skin my squad alive and make condoms out of their hides."

**Ninety minutes later, Pelican Bay 4, UNSC Ace of Spades**

Pelican F290, better known as the U.S.S. FUKUUP by the crew of the Ace, touched down in the spacious bay. Gabe, Charlotte, Sergeant Davis, and Alexis all stepped off of the Pelican's ramp and onto the metal deck. The two Pandoras had equipped their Volt Texture uniforms, while Davis wore his battle armor and Gabe had made a quick stop at his room to change into the black and white ODST dress uniform. The four of them were met by a group of Marines in the standard green armor and carrying MA5 rifles. These Marines escorted them up to the forward observation deck, the same deck that Gabe had been offered a place at West Genetics Academy in.

"Man," Gabe whispered to Alexis. "Never thought I'd come back here as a prisoner." The Pandora didn't reply, clearly nervous by this situation. As it would turn out, she had every right to be.

Admiral Lucia Hartman was a tough woman. Even the ODSTs didn't give her too much lip. She was also the kind of woman nobody wanted to face while she was pissed off. And this morning, having been woken up well before dawn to deal with this fiasco, Admiral Hartman was very, very pissed.

As the two ODSTs and two Pandora entered the observation deck they found themselves greeted by Hartman glaring at them over her coffee cup. She motioned for the Marines to leave, which left the five of them alone.

"So, let's hear what you two brainless jarheads have to say for yourself," she said in a voice that shook with barely-suppressed rage. "I'll deal with the two skanks in a moment, but first I want to hear just what amusing excuses you fuckwads have for me."

Gabe stepped forward first. "Ma'am! This situation is my fault, Ma'am!"

Hartman focused her glare on Gabe, making the ODST regret his decision to speak. "Oh? And how, pray tell, did you cause this situation?"

"Ma'am! As you know, approximately four days ago the UNSC Ace of Spades was attacked by the Nova. During the course of that battle, I lost my helmet and knife. Pandora Alexis Tannar retreieved them, believing that I would be punished if I lost my gear. Had I not lost my equipment Alexis would have never found the Pandora Path Prediction software. Nothing would've made her suspicious of me and this whole situation could've been avoided."

Hartmans glare shot to Alexis at this point, and Gabe prayed that she would play along. "Is that so? And why, Miss Tannar, did you think it was a good idea to keep Corporal Kinkaids equipment to yourself rather than turning it over to a member of the UNSC?"

"Well.." Alexis looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a truck. "You see.. I didn't know who to give them to, so I thought I'd give them to Gabe once he was released from the hospital.."

"And it never ONCE occured to you that you might be holding classified military hardware in your hands?! You know damn well he's an ODST! You know he's a member of our elite special forces! You never thought that maybe holding the piece of equipment that stores all of his combat data might be a problem?!" Alexis shook her head slowly, not willing to speak further. "Of course you didn't," the Admiral continued. "You were probably more concerned about getting into his good graces so you could get him to fuck you senseless! And you!" She rounded on Davis at this point, who could be seen flinching even through his armor. "What the FUCK were you thinking, charging in like that?!"

"Ma'am! One of our ODSTs was being held at gunpoint! Orders from Lodestone were to assist our captured comrade!"

"And so rather than performing a stealthy insertion as I know for a FACT you balltugging morons are taught to do, you go putting on a show for the ENTIRE West Genetics Academy! Now I've got Chevalier representatives riding my ass about this one, Sister Margret demanding to know why two of her students were taken by Pelican, and an alliance that you four morons may have just blown to Hell!"

Gabe spoke up yet again. "Ma'am... I'm sure if you give our stories to the Chevalier..."

"Enough, Corporal." Hartman sighed and turned her back on the four, looking down through the clouds at the darkened Genetics facility. "Miss Tannar, Miss Dufrain, I want you two on the next Pelican back to your academy. Kinkaid, Davis... You two are going to the brig until I get this sorted out."

Gabe felt his heart skip a beat. The brig? Before he could say anything Alexis stepped forward. "Admiral, I'd like to join Gabriel Kinkaid in the brig."

Hartman turned around, eyes narrowing on Alexis. Gabe was suddenly reminded of a UCAV getting a missile lock. "Excuse me?"

"Gabriel Kinkaid is my friend... and this happened because I overreacted to what I found," Alexis said firmly. "It's only fitting that I face the same punishment he does."

"So when he faces the firing squad for allowing sensitive UNSC hardware to fall into unauthorized hands, you'll be there taking bullets with him?" Alexis was quiet for a second then nodded. "Very well," Hartman said. "Marines!" The soldiers from before entered the room. "Take Miss Dufrain to Bay 4 and have her returned to her academy, and escort the other three to the brig for processing."

Two of the Marines led Charlotte out of the room while the others fell in around Gabe and the other two. Gabe got one last look at Charlotte before he was marched off into the belly of the ship to be locked away along with the other ODST and a Pandora who'd recently had a gun in his face.

**Ace of Spades brig, sixty minutes later...**

Alexis sat with her back against the wall of the cell, watching Gabe sleep. They'd been in here roughly an hour or so by her best guess. She couldn't believe the ODST was able to sleep in this situation. Her own mind was full of gruesome images of the two of them facing a firing line of those SPARTANs.

Her eyes followed the soldiers chest as it rose and fell with his breaths. The guy looked so peaceful laying there on the bench, it almost made her want to curl up beside him and fall asleep as well. But there was no way she'd be able to sleep like this. Not with impending execution on her mind.

She was sure she could make it out of the ship, even with the Marine guards. She could even take Gabe with her. They could escape, maybe steal one of those Pelicans and fly off somewhere together. They could start a whole new life on some deserted island, just the two of them...

Her cheeks flushed at this thought and she shook her head violently as if to make the image fly off of her brain. 'What am I thinking?!' she thought to herself. Sure, the ODST was strong and courageous, but he was an alien! Not to mention an alien she barely knew. And then there was the name on his knife, Vanessa. Was she his sweetheart? Did he perhaps have a lover on some distant star? Perhaps she was waiting for him somewhere out there. The Pandoras mind drew an image of a beautiful woman in a long dress watching the stars, waiting for her brave Helljumper to return to her.

"I'll bet she's beautiful," Alexis muttered. She rested her head against the metal wall of the cell, staring upward at the ceiling and trying to sort out her own feelings.

Meanwhile, Gabe was trying to sort out things of his own.

The ODST found himself in another dream. This time he was running through a long hallway. Behind him was a horde of Pandoras, each intent on claiming him as her own personal servant. No matter how fast he ran, he just couldn't escape them. To make matters worse, that Nova/woman was back as well and joining in the chase. As she glided past the Pandoras began to fall, shattering into thousands of little pieces just like the Nova in the first dream he'd had. Soon all were gone except the Nova, who quickly caught up to the running ODST and tried to embrace him...

"Get away from me!" he yelled.

"But I'm not near you!" Gabes eyes opened and he looked around. There was no Nova/woman, just Alexis and the cell they'd been in all this time. The Pandoras blue eyes were fixed on him at this point, concern written across her features.

"Sorry," Gabe muttered. "Bad dream." He sat upright and rubbed his head, wondering why he was having these weird-ass dreams all the time.

"Are you alright?" Alexis stood and crossed the room, sitting next to him on the wide bench. The trooper nodded but didn't speak. "Feel like talking about it?"

"I keep seeing weird shit," Gabe mumbled. "There's this chick that looks like a Nova or something that keeps popping up. Gives me the creeps, whatever she is."

Alexis was quiet. Was Gabe perhaps having nightmares about her? Or the other Pandoras? Were they the source of his worries? Guilt began to set in, and it was clear from the look on her face that the thought troubled her.

"Hey..." Gabe looked for another topic of conversation, feeling uncomfortable with the way this one had made her react. "You wouldn't happen to know much about choosing a Pandora, would you?"

Alexis looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Choosing.. a Pandora?"

"Yeah. That crazy-ass nun chick wants me to partner up and do a baptism with someone. I got a bunch of files on different available Pandoras from your medic."

Alexis was quiet for a little longer. "No," she whispered. "I don't know about choosing a Pandora."

"Aw well," Gabe said. He leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes. There was silence for a while after that.

Alexis felt her inner turmoil reaching critical mass. A partner? He had to pair up with a Pandora? A new series of mental images of him with some older Pandora came to mind, most of which were way more dramatic than what real life could possibly entail. The thought of him with another Pandora.. Alexis knew she had no right to feel jealous but she couldn't help it. It just made her feel that way.

But there was a way! She could satisfy her own selfish desires and help her friend as well! She turned to say something to him then the weight of what she'd come up with hit her and she looked away again, reddening once more. Would he agree to it? What would he think of her for suggesting it? Would it ruin whatever friendship they were developing? Or would it go too far and end up with her regretting it? Maybe it'd make him hate her in the end?

It took her all of twenty minutes to gather the courage needed to overcome herself and turn to the ODST again. "Hey... Gabriel?" Her voice came out soft and unsure.

"Mmm?" Gabe had dozed off again but was roused by the sound of his name.

"Would you... I mean, when we get back.. do you think..." She took a breath before asking the question that was burning in her mind. "Would you like to partner with me instead?"

Gabe sat up, tilting his head. "Are you sure?" he asked. "I mean.. you did just lose your partner. I heard that's a very painful experience for a Pandora."

"Yes," Her hands tightened, clenching into fists on her lap. "But he would've wanted me to keep fighting. It's like you said, we fight because it's our duty. He understood that too.. he'd be ashamed if I didn't move on and keep fighting"

Gabe thought on this for a moment before nodding. "I'd sure rather pair up with someone I know and trust rather than some military chick I've never met."

"Then it's settled!" Alexis gave him a bright smile, looking the happiest he'd ever seen her. "Come to my room once we get back... assuming we ever get out of this cell.."

As if on cue the cell door opened and Hartman entered, followed closely by Sister Margret.

"Ma'am!" Gabe jumped up and snapped to attention.

"At ease, soldier." Hartman turned to Margret. "They're all yours now, Sister. I apologize for this mess. I will see to it personally that Sergeant Davis is reprimanded properly. As for the sharing of UNSC technology... well, I'm glad you were willing to listen to our reasoning."

Sister Margret looked just slightly annoyed with her UNSC counterpart. "While I understand the need for military secrecy, I do hope your people will take this as a lesson and be a bit more open with us. We are all on the same side, after all." Her gaze turned to the two occupants of the cell. "Come along, you two. Classes will be starting soon." Gabe and Alexis glanced at eachother before following her out of the cell.

As Gabe passed Hartman touched his shoulder. "A new BDU set has been delivered to your quarters down there. Try not to get this one shot up, alright?" Gabe thanked the Admiral then hurried to catch up to the other two. Hartman watched him go, pondering the joys of youth.

**West Genetics Cafeteria, thirty minutes later...**

Something small and fast with a bunch of brown hair caught Alexis around the middle and took her to the ground as she and Gabe entered the cafeteria. Gabe watched, amused, as Charlotte welcomed her friend back.

"I thought you two were going to die!" Charlotte said, sounding close to tears. "That old battleaxe of an Admiral was talking about firing squads and punishments and sending you away and you had to be all brave and..." This continued on for a few minutes, much to the amusement of the onlookers. Ivan and Devon approached, along with Devon's partner Sophia (a tall, muscular girl who looked like she could benchpress a tank) and Lina and her Limiter Horacio (a Spaniard with long hair and glasses).

"Damn, dude." Devon punched Gabe in the shoulder. "You just jump from mess to mess, don't you? One day out of the hospital and you're already getting arrested! By your own army nonetheless!" The Limiter shook his head. "So what did you do, anyway? And how'd Alexis get involved?"

Alexis looked up at Gabe nervously. Gabe just shrugged. "I did something kinda stupid," he said casually. "Alexis got ahold of my helmet, there's a bunch of classified data on the chipset so we got arrested."

"I still don't get why Alexis insisted on taking your punishment with you," Charlotte said, seemingly angry with Gabe over the other Pandoras decision.

"Well, that's natural," Alexis chimed in. "He's my partner."

Every eye went to Alexis at these words. For a moment no one spoke. Then the shock wore off and Charlotte stood up, bringing her hand back and slapping Gabe across the face.

"You dirty mongrel!" She brought her hand up again and slapped at him again. "What did you do to her?! I swear, if you did or said something improper.."

Alexis caught her friends hand as she came in for a third slap. "It's not like that Char, honest! Gabe was ordered to pair up with a Pandora and.. well, I'm available, and it'd be easier for him to work with me than with some stranger."

Charlotte looked from Alexis to Gabe, shocked. "You've been ordered to work with a Pandora? As in, be her limiter?" Gabe nodded. "Why would the UNSC request that one of their special forces units become a Limiter?"

"They didn't." This gained him more than one weird look. "Sister Margret was the one who gave the order. Your Chief Medical Officer was the one that relayed it to me."

"Well, whatever's going on, I doubt it's more pressing than that." Lina pointed towards the tables where the cook staff were beginning to set out breakfast. "We actually get first crack at the good stuff today!"

Gabe checked his watch. It was just after four in the morning. "So much for sleeping tonight," he grumbled as the others started heading for the tables. He hung back to walk with Alexis after Charlotte had pulled the Pandora to her feet. "You alright?" he asked her.

Alexis nodded. "Yeah, mostly. There's something I don't get though."

"What's that?"

The Pandora fixed her gaze on him as if trying to read the answer to her question in his face. "Why did you say that I took your belongings because I thought you'd get in trouble if you lost them? That wasn't the truth at all!"

"Well, it was better than not having an answer. This way you're not in any trouble and nobody thinks you're a spy or something." Gabe shrugged again. "I know it's bending the truth a bit, but would you rather face an ONI investigator? Pretty sure we've got a spook somewhere on that ship." This gained him a curious look so he just shook his head. "The point is, because of our story, you're not in trouble for doing... well, whatever it was you were doing with my helmet." At this Alexis turned her eyes downward, reddening once again. Rather than risk irritating his new partner Gabe made his way towards the food. If he couldn't sleep before class he was at least going to have a full belly.

Gabes first experience in class was.. interesting. There was much chattering among the student body about the transferee. He was an alien, a warrior from another universe, and he'd killed two Nova to date. Of course, that was the official story. The rumors that flew about him were greatly exaggerated. He even found himself being asked at one point if it was true that he preferred to eat Nova cores for breakfast.

The lessons themselves were interesting to say the least. Gabe didn't have his helmet to record what was being taught so he set to writing down everything the instructor said. His handwriting wasn't that great but he could read it and that was what mattered. During the lessons he learned quite a bit more about the Pandoras and Limiters as well as their combat strategies. He even began to devise his own strategies for working with the Chevalier forces.

The afternoon brought physical training and combat demonstrations, giving Gabe a chance to observe his new comrades in action without fear of impending mutilation. During the combat bit Gabe and the Limiters sat on the sidelines, watching the Pandoras squaring off in mock battle.

Evening came and Gabe returned to his room, feeling drained. The schooling wasn't nearly as bad as boot camp or the ODST training program, but the ordeal from that morning had taxed him greatly and he still wasn't fully recovered from the battle on the Ace of Spades. And so when the trooper finally made it back to his room he wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep. But there was homework that needed done.. Homework. Strange concept, an ODST doing homework. And so he set to his books, killing time until his next task.

Alexis had asked him to come to her room at ten that night. And so Gabe did as much studying as he could in that time. At roughly eight-thirty, however, he found himself unable to focus any longer. He looked for other tasks to keep himself busy, including checking over the new set of ODST armor that had been sent down from the Ace of Spades. The VISR system had already been updated with the data from his old one. The old helmets data would have surely been remotely wiped by this time so he didn't mind letting Alexis keep it when she asked for it, although he was greatly amused by her fascination with the helmet.

Nine-fifteen found Gabe stepping out of the shower and toweling off. He faced a choice at that point: his school uniform, his ODST dress uniform, or his ODST armor. The armor was the most comfortable to him, but the dress uniform looked nicest.. and the school uniform looked more proper than his military garb. It occurred to him that he needed to get his hands on some civilian clothes. Until then, however...

He eventually settled on his school uniform. Proper attire over comfort. He didn't have any long hair to comb or facial hair to shave so he found himself pacing his room until about a quarter-till. At that point he began making his way towards the fourth-year girl's dorm to meet Alexis for the first time as partners.

As Gabe walked down the hall of the third floor of the girl's dorm he met Charlotte and Lina, who had just returned from some extra training. Gabe greeted the two then went on his way. The two girls waited for him to pass then began following him. When he entered room 343 they crept to the door and listened at the cracks, eager to hear how well their friend would 'get along' with her new Limiter.

What they heard was a good deal of talk. For nearly half an hour the two within the room seemed to just.. talk. But just when they thought they'd give up they heard the soft sound of clothing hitting the floor. The two girls exchanged glances and pressed their ears a little closer, listening hard. However, they wouldn't need to listen too hard to hear what came next.

Both girls felt their blood run cold at the sound of Gabriel Kinkaid screaming in agony.

The two Pandoras hit the door at the same time, knocking it open for the second time that day. They found Alexis kneeling on her bed in a red evening dress, her hands pressed to her mouth, eyes wide in horror. The girls traced her gaze to find Gabe on his hands and knees, shirtless. The bluish stigmata Alexis had given him was pressed into his back, just above his spine. However, that wasn't all. Three lines of pointed crimson objects ran down the ODST's back, blood running from where each one had forced itself through his skin. Each one had the texture of a stigmata but was the color of the blood that flowed from the ODST's open wounds. They were star-like in shape, with eight long, sharp points coming off of the main body and curling back into the trooper's skin.

Lina ran out of the room to get help, leaving Charlotte and Alexis transfixed by the sight of Gabe screaming and the dozen sinister forms that had grown from his flesh...


	8. Chapter 8

_(A/N: So here it is, Chapter 8! I'm probably going to slow my roll a bit after this, but I've been very grateful for all the positive reception and feedback! Speaking of which..._

_To the gentleman who left the review titled "Heyo": I understand the age problem. I've got an explanation for it that I'm saving for later, but for the most part... yeah. It's mainly for the sake of pairing him off with Alexis._

_To the anon who reviews regularly: Partner, your reviews have been awesome. I look forward to seeing your take on each new chapter, partially because it re-enforces my own conviction in my work and partially because it gives a new perspective for me to work from. Keep on doing what you do, mate, and I'll keep doing what I do!_

_As the writer of this little joyride, I've been very satisfied with the way the tale has been spinning itself. At first I feared I was moving things along just a little too fast, but with all the positive reception I figured I must've been doing something right and decided to keep letting things come as they were coming. Mostly, I'm just happy that so many people seem to be enjoying the product of my twisted little mind. I do intend to ramp up the stakes in the next few chapters as I move towards what I could consider a grand ending, but for now I'm just going to let things go where they may. Even I don't know what exactly will happen around the next corner ;) )_

Alexis Tannar walked alongside her friend Charlotte Dufrain, not really hearing the words coming from her fellow Pandora. Her mind was still on the ODST, Gabriel. She'd tried to give him his baptism as her new partner two nights previously, but then things had gone very, very wrong...

**West Genetics Academy, fourth-year girl's dorm, room 343. Two days previously..**

_(A/N: So I hunted all through the Freezing manga and couldn't find any description of what actually happens during a baptism other than the trading of stigmata, so if I botched this don't yell at me!)_

Alexis took a breath and opened her eyes, one of her stigmata laying in her hand. "Alright," she whispered. "I'm ready. Are you?"

Gabe nodded, closing his eyes. "Do your thing," he said softly.

Alexis came close and put her arms around the ODSTs shirtless torso, feeling the warmth of his body against hers. She was certain he could feel her heart pounding within her chest through the thin material of her dress. She rested her face against his shoulder, taking a couple of deep breaths to calm herself. She could see the scars from the fight on the Ace of Spades on his chest and stomach. Her free hand came back around and her fingers traced one of the scars lightly.

She took another breath then pressed her palm against his back, branding her stigmata into his body and making him hers. For a moment there was silence, then the world seemed to explode.

Gabe fell to his knees, screaming in agony. Alexis went to his side at first, asking him what was wrong. Her eyes caught movement on his back. Something was trying to force itself through his tattoo'd skin. She scrambled backward onto her bed, horrified. As she watched a number of small crimson spines tore through the ODSTs skin. They grew out a short distance then began to open like the petals of some evil flower. The tips of these 'petals' curled around, digging back into the troopers flesh once more. Gabe continued to scream in agony, but Alexis couldn't do anything but watch in horror...

**West Genetics Academy, Two days after the baptism...**

"Alexis, aren't you listening?" Charlotte had moved around in front of her friend and was standing in the other girl's path.

"I'm sorry," Alexis muttered. "I'm just a little distracted.."

"I'll say! They just called you over the PA. You're to report to Sister Margret's office immediately!"

At these words Alexis tore off running. She knew it was probably something else, but there was always the chance that it was about Gabe.

She'd tried everything to see him after the baptism had failed. He hadn't returned to his room so she knew the medics were keeping him somewhere. But every time she went to the infirmary there was no sign of him anywhere and nobody seemed to be able to give her any information on him. She'd even spoken to one of the ODSTs that had come to teach the Limiter class but gotten nothing from him. Now she rushed to the headmistress's office, praying that she'd be able to see him again.

She reached the office door and knocked rapidly, calling out to Sister Margret as she did so. When she was told to enter she did, only to find the office full of people. Sister Margret sat behind her desk. Medical Officer Schmidtz, Sergeant Davis, Admiral Hartman, man in a Chevalier officer's uniform, and one of the towering SPARTAN warriors stood in the room waiting for her. She gave the SPARTAN a wide berth as she walked towards Sister Marget's desk.

"You wanted to see me, ma'am?"

Margret watched her closely for a moment before speaking. "Miss Tannar.. I understand that you were the one who attempted to make Corporal Kinkaid your Limiter?"

"Yes ma'am." She hesitated, unsure if she had made a mistake in doing so. "Gabriel.. I mean Corporal Kinkaid and I talked about his having to choose a Pandora and I offered to be his partner instead. That's why we tried to do a baptism." She gave another nervous glance towards the SPARTAN before speaking again. "Is Corporal Kinkaid alright?"

Medical Officer Schmidtz nodded in response to this query. "Yeah, he's fine. We sedated him and put him under quarantine. It looks like he's back to his former self though, with the exception of having those stigmata in his back."

"Stigmata?"

Admiral Hartman made a small, angry noise at this, but Schmidtz ignored her. "Yes. When that Nova core exploded on the Ace of Spades he was penetrated by a number of fragments of stigamtic material. Those fragments dissolved and spread throughout his body, where they remained inert. Or at least, they did until you introduced your own stigmata. At that point the Nova tissues within him solidified into stigmata. It as almost as if they were activated by the mature stigmata you gave him."

"So you're saying... I did this to him..." Alexis's voice faded out, her eyes finding her feet. She couldn't look any of the UNSC in the face. She'd harmed one of theirs now...

"Not really," Hartman chimed in. "You just added fuel to the fire. He was already carrying those things inside himself." She glared at Schmidtz. "Corporal Kinkaid was sent to YOU, to be put under YOUR care because YOU claimed to know what you were doing." The Admiral's voice was rather hostile at this point, causing Alexis to tense up even further. "As far as I'm concerned, Medical Officer Schmidtz, this situation is YOUR responsibility."

"I've never once claimed to have experience in dealing with a person blasted with chunks of raw stigmata!" Schmidtz seemed rather insulted by the Admiral's attitude. "Maybe Doctor Aoi would've been able to spot some sort of danger, but I assure you that none of the rest of us.."

Hartman cut her off. "And yet you insisted on pairing him up with a Pandora!" Even the SPARTAN was tensing within his armor at this point. Alexis wished she could escape from the room.

"Enough, both of you!" This came from the Chevalier officer. "Admiral, I understand your concern for your soldier. However, there were very few options the Chevalier organization had available to them. Sister Margret's decision to pair Corporal Kinkaid with a Pandora partner came as a result of much deliberation. It was determined that, in the event of an unforeseen complication, a Pandora partner would be able to react the quickest and provide the best assistance to Corporal Kinkaid. You must understand that this is a very unique case."

Admiral Hartman looked even angrier than before but said nothing. Sensing an opportunity, Alexis spoke. "Um... Admiral... I'd like to see Gabriel. He's my friend... and we're partners. I'd like to be there for him."

Hartmans death-glare focused on Alexis at this point, but before she spoke Medical Officer Schmidtz answered Alexis' request. "You're in luck, actually. He's about to be released." This drew the attention of everyone in the room. Even Admiral Hartman forgot her anger for a moment. Schmidtz looked around at the others, surprised by their reactions. "Well, he's in perfect health. We're going to run a few tests on him, but he's fit for duty once more. In fact... I think he'll be even better in battle than before."

"Explain." This came from Hartman, who'd decided that her indignation could wait and used a more civilized tone.

"Well... you're never going to believe this one.. Corporal Kinkaid has... well, his situation turned him into one of us." She laughed, hardly believing the words coming from her own mouth. "He's a Pandora."

**Twenty-four hours previously, West Genetics medical facility**

"Alright Gabe, we're going to try something new this time." The voice of Medical Officer Schmidtz came over the speakers, filling the testing room that Gabe now stood in. He was clad only a hospital gown and feeling rather violated being tested like this. "Try summoning a Volt Weapon."

"Are you retarded?" Gabe asked the mirrored windows that he knew the officer stood behind. "I thought only Pandoras could do that. And besides, I don't have a clue how!"

"Oh my, looks like there's something our big bad ODST can't figure out after all! Tell you what stud, if you give it your best shot I might let you take me out to dinner."

"You know," Gabe said as he held his hand out the way Charlotte had. "I'll bet you talk like that 'cause nobody wants to partner with you or that dry old twat you've got." This won him a round of laughter from within the control room, although the medical officer didn't respond to his insult. Feeling satisfied with his victory in the battle of wits he focused on the task at hand. Calling out a Volt Weapon... He could see Charlotte doing it in his mind's eye but he had no idea how to make it work.

'I need a weapon,' he thought.

A strange sensation spread from the stigmata in his back, almost as if they'd been electrified. Something heavy formed in his right hand. Opening his eyes, Gabe found himself holding the familiar shape of the venerable MA5B assault rifle. He examined the ammo counter of the weapon and noticed that it was red... and it displayed 01. So, that weapon from before had been a Volt Weapon... interesting. And it kept his kill count from then too, even though he'd only summoned it in a dream.

"See? I told you you could do it!" Medical Officer Schmidtz sounded quite proud of herself.

"So what's this mean? Why can I use one of these things?

"We're not sure yet." All traces of pride or levity were gone from her voice now. "For whatever reason the Nova core tissue in your body is behaving almost exactly like the stigmata we Pandoras carry."

"Almost exactly? What's different?"

"Well, we're detecting a massive buildup of energy within your stigmata. It's like they're storing power for something. Our earlier tests on your body revealed some improvements in your speed, strength, stamina, reflexes... nearly everything we can measure has improved over the data from your last UNSC physical."

"So what, these things made me into Superman or something?"

"Not quite. You're still way weaker than a Pandora, but you're better than any of the soldiers on that ship of yours. Hell, you might even be better than what we've seen of those SPARTANs."

Gabe continued examining his rifle. "So what next?"

"Well, I don't think your stigmata can handle a Volt Texture. But if you've been able to call out a weapon then that's a good sign. I think some combat tests are in order. Come on out of there and change into your uniform. We'll get a simulation ready for you."

"Bring it on," Gabe muttered.

**West Genetics Academy, Two days after the baptism**

"You're kidding!" Alexis couldn't believe what she was hearing. "He actually managed to clear a simulation on his own?!"

"Yes. Whatever it is that lets him escape the Novas Freezing has been amplified by those stigmata. We ran the simulation six times and he eliminated the target all six times."

"That's an ODST for you," Davis said proudly.

"It's more than just being one of your ODSTs, Sergeant. The boy has something.. else. It's almost as if his body has been generating it's own field. That would also explain how he was able to catch a Pandora in the middle of a Double Accel. With these new stigmata, that field has strengthened. It's not enough that he can act as a Limiter, but if he gets into a fight he can evade incoming attacks and counterattack as well."

"So he's got a new weapon and new enhancements.. and you want to use him in battle." Hartman folded her arms, eyes on the medical officer. "Why do I get the feeling that you haven't told us everything?"

Schmidtz nodded. "There is a slight risk. We're not sure why but his stigmata are storing a large amount of energy. If this energy builds up too much it may cause corrosion."

"Corrosion?"

Sister Margret closed her eyes and lowered her head. "It's the condition of turning into a Nova. Normally, our Pandoras have to be careful not to activate their stigmata too much in order to avoid reverting to a mindless killer, into a lifeform akin to the Nova themselves."

"Exactly." Schmidtz picked up the explanation from there. "But with Gabe, whenever he calls out his Volt Weapon his stigmata begin storing energy and activating on their own. I personally feel that he's at a far greater risk than any of our Pandora."

Admiral Hartmans anger was returning at this point. "So you're saying using his new powers could turn him into one of those bastards, yet you want him to fight anyway?"

Schmidtz nodded. "That's why I think it's a good idea for Miss Tannar here to remain as Corporal Kinkaids partner. If anyone will be able to help him control it, it'll be someone he shares stigmata with. And if, God forbid, he does enter Nova form, he'll have a better chance of coming out of it with her there. Not to mention that her support will be a massive boost to his morale."

"And that's where I have to interject," Hartman said. "So far you've told me that one of my soldiers is in danger of turning into a damn monster, and you want to increase that risk by having him fight for you. On top of that you want to keep him paired up with the person responsible for his situation. Up until now I've tried to give you Chevalier as much leeway as possible in order to further our alliance. But now one of my men is being adversely affected by this. So here's how it's going to work. If you want Corporal Kinkaid to fight, then you're going to allow me to station SPARTANs at your little Academy."

Sister Margret looked up at Admiral Hartman, enraged. "You will NOT be placing those things in my Academy! It's bad enough that you brought one with you today! My students would never feel safe again with them here!"

The Chevalier officer stepped forward at this point, clearing his throat. "Sister Margret, I understand your concern. And I understand your position as well, Admiral Hartman. I believe a compromise can be reached here. Perhaps we could station one of Admiral Hartmans supersoldiers in the Academy in order to watch over Corporal Kinkaid and help with the Pandoras training. In fact, I think a SPARTAN would be a much better candidate for the Limiter training program your men proposed, Admiral."

The Sister and the Admiral glared at each other for a few moments, then Admiral Hartman nodded. "Very well. I will call back the ODSTs of Echo Squad and have one of my SPARTANs take over." She turned towards the green-armored warrior beside her. "Tess, would you be willing to take over the ODSTs task?"

"Yes ma'am," the SPARTAN said. Alexis found herself quite shocked at the revelation that the SPARTAN was a woman. "I'll go over the curriculum the ODSTs have compiled and prepare the lessons as needed." Sergeant Davis looked very offended at being replaced by a SPARTAN but said nothing.

"Alright Sister," Hartman said. "I'll leave Lieutenant Tess-102 here to teach the class instead of Sergeant Davis' squad. In return for accommodating her, I'll permit Corporal Kinkaid to fight under your orders."

Sister Margret nodded, not speaking. The Chevalier officer smiled and clapped his hands together. "See? We get much more done with democracy. Now, if you'll all excuse me, I have other matters to attend to." The officer left, followed by Admiral Hartman and Sergeant Davis. The SPARTAN named Tess stayed behind to speak to Sister Margret.

"Come on Miss Tannar," Schmidtz said to Alexis. "I'll take you to Gabriel."

**West Genetics Academy Infirmary, Ten minutes later...**

"So you're sure I'm good to go, doc?" Gabe tightened his belt to keep his pistol secure on his hip. Someone had been nice enough to fetch a set of ODST off-duty fatigues from the Ace for him.

"If you feel anything out of the ordinary let one of the medical staff know," the medic overseeing him at the moment said. "But other than that, you're ready for duty again. Just try not to push yourself too hard at first. We're still not sure what kind of effect the Nova stigmata might have on your body if you lose control of them."

"Great..." Gabe finished with his uniform then turned towards the door. He'd only taken one step when the door flew open and Alexis charged into the lobby area he was in. The girl cried out his name happily and threw herself at him, catching the trooper in a tight hug. "Glad to see you too," he said behind a small chuckle, returning the Pandora's embrace.

"I got worried when I coudn't see you after what happened," Alexis said through the beginnings of tears. "I thought I'd killed you or caused your Admiral to recall you.." Her face found his shoulder just as it had the night of the baptism and he felt his shirt getting wet. "I'm so sorry, Gabriel.."

"Hey, relax," he said soothingly. "It's all good. I'm alright... hell, I'm better than ever! I've got something to show you later, too."

Alexis pulled back enough to look up at the taller Helljumper. "I heard. You're a Pandora now, huh?" Gabe looked slightly surprised by this. "I guess you'll have to wear our uniform.." The Pandoras voice went from sobs to teasing in a moment although she still sounded shaky.

"Hell no," Gabe said. "I'll stick with my armor, thanks."

Alexis giggled and grabbed Gabe by the hand, leading him towards the door. "Come on," she said. "It's nearly time for dinner and I'm sure the others will be happy to see you!" Gabe let himself be pulled along. Even if it was only for a short time, he was happy to act like any other guy his age, spending time with people he could consider friends without having to have killed something with them. It was pure youthful bliss and a part of the ODST wished it could last forever.

**UNSC Ace of Spades, comm deck...**

Admiral Hartman was seated at one of the comm terminals on the Ace of Spades' comm deck. Two SPARTANs, Jeremy-049 and Andrew-139, watched over her shoulder as she viewed a video sent to her by the Chevalier organization. In the video a young woman overused her stigmata and turned into a monster, assimilating a number of clone bodies to form herself into a massive Nova.

"So, is this what they're worried could happen to Corporal Kinkaid?" This came from Jeremy. His unnatural neon blue eyes took in the form of the E-Pandora before she began to combine with the cloned bodies.

"Yes. Apparently this is 'Nova form.'" Hartman paused the video on the girls face. "She's way gone in this video. Apparently it was another Pandora that reached her and brought her back. As of right now she is the only survivor of the project she was a member of." The Admiral's grey eyes studied the girl in the image. Something had clearly happened to drive that girl over the edge.

"Kinda reminds you of something, huh?" Andrew muttered to Jeremy. The SPARTAN leader ignored his comrade.

"Ma'am, isn't it too great a risk to let a special operations unit like Kinkaid be compromised like this? That whole Ereinbar Set concept sounds like a form of induced ESP. If their Pandora can gain classified intel from his mind through this..."

"You sound paranoid, SPARTAN." Admiral Hartman glanced up at the soldiers faceplate. "Do you really think that's possible?"

"No, I don't." Jeremy responded. "But two weeks ago I didn't think it was possible for human beings to gain superpowers from being implanted with alien tissues. I didn't think it was possible for an alternate version of Earth to exist. And I sure as hell didn't think it was possible to run across a ten-story-tall floating alien that can immobilize living creatures and shrug off tank shells like they're nothing. At this point, Admiral, I'd say anything is possible."

"I hope you're wrong, SPARTAN." Admiral Hartman went back to watching the video. "It'll be all of our asses in the frying pan if you're right."

**West Genetics Academy, 2200, outside the fourth-year girls dorm...**

Gabe walked along the path to the fourth-years dorm, whistling. He was wearing his armor at this point, having been in the simulator again honing his skills with his shiny new Volt Weapon. He'd wanted to continue training, but Alexis had asked him to visit her in her room that night at dinner. This request caused Charlotte, Lina, and Sophia to begin chattering excitedly to each other in low voices. Devon had mentioned something about the 'first room visit' being an important moment for a Limiter-Pandora pair but Gabe had been more interested in his meal. Even at this academy, hospital food sucked.

He was about a hundred and fifty feet or so from the door when he felt something out of place. He looked around, switching on his VISRs light enhancement and target recognition systems. His view of the world began to glow a faint yellow. Almost everything was outlined in dull yellow, but there were two human shapes outlined in green. A Pandora and her Limiter. Gabe recognized both instantly.

"Why the hell are you following me, van Houten?"

Samantha van Houten stepped into the light of one of the lamp posts, her Limiter staying a short distance behind her. "Just following a faithful little puppy," Samantha said lightly. "I see you didn't listen to my advice."

Gabes hand clenched at his side. "Well you know what they say about listening to people who try to kill you on a regular basis."

Samantha chuckled at this. "I don't want to kill you, Gabriel Kinkaid. I just want to settle our little rivalry. And since it looks like you let that little vixen fool you after all, I guess I'm going to have to hurry up and teach you a lesson before she kills you." Her Volt Weapon appeared in her hands, glimmering in the dim light.

"Bright it, bitch." Gabe flicked his right hand, his own weapon appearing in his grip. He brought the rifle up and centered it on Samantha's chest. At once the Pandora started her hyperspeed attacks, but this time Gabe was ready. His VISR showed him the paths she'd take and his new stigmata heightened his reflexes to the point where he could see her coming. A burst from the rifle caught Samantha in the leg in mid-strike, causing her to fall back.

"Victor! Freeze this idiot!" At her command Samanthas Limiter let loose a Freezing field, a powerful one at that. However, it wasn't enough to stop Gabe.

"What's wrong, Sam?" He darted out of the way of her next attack and fired a burst at her Limiter, causing the guy to duck behind a bench and let his Freezing stop. "Gotta get someone else to do your dirty work?" He let out a harsh laugh and brought his rifle to bear on her again, this time narrowly missing her. "Fuckin' coward!"

Samanthas movements quickened, moving faster than Gabe could process even with his stigmata. He waited, watching to see where she would strike next. He began timing the passes she made in his mind. Tick... tick... tick... tick...

The ODST lashed out with his right arm, shoving the barrel of his rifle into the high-speed Pandoras stomach. He fired a couple of shots into her as he turned with her momentum. Samantha rolled across the ground, coming to a halt on her back. Gabe took a step towards her, feeling his excitement rising. He could kill her right here, right now. He could end her life. Something within him reveled in the thought of pressing his new weapon against her head and pulling the trigger, sending the bullet-like particle beam crashing through her skull and scattering the contents of her brain across the pavement. He could end her Limiter too, maybe twist his neck until the bones snapped and killed him.

"Gabriel?" A familiar European voice caught Gabes attention. His gaze leveled on Charlotte, who was returning to her room from a date with her own Limiter. For a moment he found himself wanting to kill her too, to rip her apart right there on the spot. At that desire, however, the ODST caught ahold of his bloodlust. Killing a bitch of a Pandora and her servile Limiter would've been a crime as it was. Despite Samanthas shitty attitude, she was still his ally against the Nova. But to kill Charlotte, one of the people he counted as friends in this place...

Gabes Volt Weapon vanished and the ODST set off, running for the girl's dorm. He could hear Charlotte calling to him behind him but he didn't stop. He had to get out of there.. he had to see his partner.

Up in her room, Alexis was pacing in her room. She'd invited Gabe up to make up for the botched baptism, and so now she'd gotten dressed up and was waiting for him to arrive. But the Helljumper was late, making Alexis wonder if he'd decided against coming.

"Maybe he doesn't want me," she thought aloud. The thought had crossed her mind numerous times while Gabe had been under quarantine. Perhaps he didn't want to partner with the girl who'd caused him to suddenly grow a bunch of bloody spines that turned into painful-looking stigmata. Maybe he'd had enough crazy for one lifetime. Maybe he'd decided to hold out for his Vanessa.. whoever she was.

The Pandora was so lost in her worries that she didn't hear the knocking at her door at first. When she did she practically ran to the door. Part of her wanted to beg for Gabes forgiveness, while part of her wanted to reprimand him for making her wait. However, at the sight of her partner she lost interest in both.

Gabe stumbled into the room and ripped off his helmet, setting it on the table before slumping against the wall.

"Gabriel?" Alexis put her hand on the ODST's chestplate and looked into his eyes. "Gabriel, what's wrong?"

Gabe shook his head, not wanting to speak just yet. He could still feel that bloodthirsty feeling within him. It wanted to devour everything around him, including Alexis.

A pair of arms wrapping around his midsection made Gabe come back to reality. Alexis had pulled him into an embrace, not knowing what was wrong with him but clearly wanting to help. He felt his heart slowing down in the presence of his partner. He felt like he'd be alright if he was with her.

"Alexis.." he muttered.

Alexis let go of him at that point, reaching up and taking his head in her hands. "Listen to me," she said. "I don't care if you can't talk about what's bothering you. I won't push you to do or say anything you're not able to. But I'm your Pandora. No mater what, I'll always be there if you need me. You can tell me anything, ask anything of me.. I'll do whatever I can to help you." She let her hands fall from his face, instead wrapping her arms around his neck. "I know this world isn't yours.. I can't imagine how this must feel for you.. so if I can ever do anything for you, just tell me."

Gabe stared at the girl for a moment, taking in what she'd just said. His lips pulled into a smile and he rested his forehead against hers. "Thanks Alexis... I'm sorry for making you worry." A sigh escaped the Helljumper and he pulled away from her, sitting down in her chair. "I just... had a moment where I forgot who I am and what I stand for. It scared me, you know?"

"Gabriel.." Alexis sat down on the end of her bed and watched him, a small smile on her own lips as well. "In the time I've known you, you've done some pretty insane things. You crashed into a Nova, fought a second one to protect a total stranger, took on a third one with nothing but a knife and a grenade, fought a Pandora who tried to attack you, and covered for me when I caused a huge mess with your Admiral. But in all of that you've always been the same person. You're crazy, reckless and a little arrogant at times, but you're always the one who stands up for what he believes in and fights for what he knows is right. That's what drew me to you, Gabriel Kinkaid."

Gabe listened to her words, thinking them over. He was an ODST, a member of the UNSC Marine Corps. He wouldn't have killed Samantha or her Limiter even though they deserved it, it just wasn't in his nature. It went against everything he'd been taught, both in the military and in life in general. "Thanks Alexis," he whispered. "You're right. I guess I just needed a little reminder."

Alexis smiled even wider and stood up, walking to the light switch. The lights went out and she made her way back to Gabe, pulling him to his feet. "Alright then, enough depressing talk," she whispered. "I think you know why I asked you to come up here."

"Not a damn clue," Gabe said honestly. "Devon said something about bonding... but I don't see why we have to have the lights off to do that."

Alexis stared through the darkness at the ODST. "Are you insane?" she asked. "There's no way I could.. do that.. with the lights on.." The two stared at each other for a few moments despite not being able to see each other in the darkness.

"What are you talking about?" Gabe asked finally.

"What are YOU talking about?" Alexis repeated.

"I figured we were going to talk all night. Learn about each other and whatnot. Isn't that usually the best way to bond with someone?" Clearly this was the wrong answer, but Gabe gave it anyway. At his words Alexis shoved the trooper, causing him to fall and land on his ass. He could hear her running then the sound of bedsprings as she flopped down on her bed, hiding her face in her pillows. He knew she had done this by the way her voice sounded muffled as she told him repeatedly that he was an idiot.

It finally occurred to Gabe just what she was after.. or rather, he thought he knew. The ODST began removing his armor. He pulled off the different plates and laid them on her dresser, then stripped out of the full-body undersuit and folded it up before laying it next to the plates. Under the bodysuit he'd been wearing his off-duty clothes, a pair of black cargo pants and a t-shirt with ODST markings. With his armor removed he laid down next to Alexis and pulled her into his arms. The Pandora snuggled into his embrace, unsure if she was going to forgive him at first but eventually deciding that this was close enough to what she'd wanted.. for now.

And so the two partners spent a night together simply enjoying each others presence in the face of perpetual uncertainty.


	9. Chapter 9

Morning came on the UNSC Ace of Spades, hanging just above cloud level in the skies above the West Genetics academy. The night crew began to switch, the guards and crewmen of the night shift gathering in the galley for some breakfast before catching a few hours of sleep while the day shift took over. Admiral Lucia Hartman stood on the bridge of the great ship watching the sun rise over the distant ocean with a steaming cup of coffee in her hand. Her hawklike gray eyes tracked the rising ball of nuclear fire as it appeared on the horizon.

"Lodestone, what's the agenda for today?" At her request the AI's avatar appeared in the holotank near her command chair.

"SPARTAN 102 will begin training Limiter forces at the West Genetics academy today. ODST fireteams will be conducting training in one of the Genetics simulation units this afternoon. You have a meeting with representatives of the Chevalier organization. The remaining SPARTANs are requesting ground clearance in order to observe the Pandora forces during their training. SPARTAN-049 feels that this will improve his teams combat efficiency against the Nova."

"Request denied," Hartman said immediately. "We'll never hear the end of it if the SPARTANs go groudside. Especially not with those Chevalier people throwing their weight around so much." The very thought of the situation on the ground made Hartmans temper flare a bit. "I swear, it's like they're looking for a fight."

"If I may, Admiral," Hartman shot a warning glance at the AI's avatar but didn't stop him from speaking. "It's becoming painfully clear that the Chevalier have no respect for the UNSC. They have been pushing us little by little to see just how much we'll submit to them. It would seem that our position of compromise and negotiation has weakened our standing with the Chevalier. Even the general public seem to think of us as weak."

Hartman nodded. "But I don't want to make a display of force either. It could create a massive anti-UNSC sentiment among the locals."

"Indeed. Which is why I suggest we hold war games with the Pandora forces."

"War games?" This idea intrigued the Admiral.

"Yes. We divide our forces and the Pandora forces into two units and send them at each other with training rounds and dummy weapons. If we incur a situation in which the UNSC and Chevalier have to fight side-by-side, especially a situation where our military might looks favorable, we may regain the respect of the locals. This would greatly improve our standing on this world and make it possible to expand our influence."

"I'm not sure I like this idea," Hartman said. "What if it backfires? If we look like we're trying to show off it might make the locals even more anti-UNSC."

"There is a chance that could happen. However..."

The AI was cut off by the sound of alarms sounding from the radar station. "Status report," Hartman demanded.

The Ensign at the radar terminal spoke but never looked up from her screen. "Two unidentified aircraft coming our way, ma'am. They're not responding to our warnings."

"Aircraft? As in, local tech?"

"Yes ma'am." The technician studied her screen for a moment before speaking again. "Ma'am, they've opened fire on Hangar Eight! One of the hostile aircraft has landed within the bay and is deploying soldiers!"

"Bring the ship to combat alert Alpha! Get the SPARTANs down there to Bay Eight!" Hartman keyed the ship's PA at this point. "All hands, we have intruders on the ship. Neutralize all hostile targets! Marine fireteams Alpha through Foxtrot, cover the entrances to the hangar. Orders are to shoot to kill."

"Ma'am! Enemy forces identified as Pandora, ma'am! They're tearing through our Marines!"

"Where the hell are those SPARTANS?"

Several decks down, the dozen enemy Pandoras were making plenty of headway against the ship's Marine defenders. Lodestone had managed to cut off all of the access points to the hangar except one. Now, at the end of a long hallway, a squad of Marines had formed a barricade out of sandbags and spare hull plating.

"Here they come!" someone yelled as the Pandoras came into view. At once the Marines opened fire, laying into the Pandoras with automatic weapons, shotguns, and a mounted minigun. One of the Pandoras hadn't expected such a large volume of incoming fire and went down in a hail of bullets. Her comrades managed to avoid the bullets and kept coming, bearing down on the Marines.

One of the soldiers, a young Private, watched a Pandora with an axe coming his direction. He shut his eyes as the woman swung her weapon down towards his face. He figured he was dead.

A sudden clashing of metal on metal caught the soldiers ears and he opened his eyes once more. A massive figure in green armor stood above him, having caught the Pandoras weapon with it's armored hand. For a second the Pandora stared at the SPARTAN. That was all she got before the warrior grabbed her by the face and slammed her into the ground. More SPARTANs climbed through the Marine barricade, engaging the shocked Pandoras directly.

Two of the Pandoras went down under then SPARTANs guns in the first few seconds. The others charged in to take the SPARTANs by force. Jeremy-049 watched two of the women coming his way. In one motion he sidestepped the first, grabbed the woman by her shoulders, and spun her into the path of the second's weapon. He then fired his rifle through the corpse of the first Pandora, the AP rounds punching through the second Pandoras torso and killing her as well. Jeremy knew his SPARTANs weren't as fast as the Pandoras, but their strength and skill were beyond anything the Pandoras could have ever imagined. Their reaction times, impossible to measure even with the most sophisticated technologies, made the Pandoras hyperaccelerated attacks completely ineffective. The battle was short, brutal, and entirely one-sided once the SPARTANs joined in. The poor Pandoras never stood a chance.

With the intruders dealt with Jeremy led his SPARTANs into the hangar bay, where two more Pandoras guarded the still-running helicopter they'd used to board the starship. Jeremys MA5C took care of one of the Pandoras while Liam-006 dispatched the other with a well-thrown combat knife to the throat. The helicopter attempted to leave, only to have one of its engines shot to pieces by an array of rifle fire from the SPARTANs. The pilot bailed out as the aircraft hit the floor, only to be shot by one of the green-armored supersoldiers. Outside the ship the other helicopter was attempting to flee. The ships point-defense cannons came online at that point, turning the second helicopter into a cloud of burning wreckage.

Jeremy-049 watched the flaming bits of the second aircraft fall towards the ground from the edge of the hangar bay. "All hostiles eliminated," he said over his helmet radio. "Repeat, all hostile targets eliminated. No survivors."

**Chevalier Grand Canyon HQ...**

The video feeds from the various Pandoras went dark one by one as the UNSC deployed their SPARTAN warriors. This was observed by a group of men in a darkened room. All of these men were high-ranking officials within the Chevalier organization, and all of them had their own agendas. But as they watched these agendas were being shattered by the SPARTANs just like the bodies of the elite Pandora that had been sent to infiltrate the ship.

"It appears we've greatly underestimated them," one of the men said.

"Indeed. This is... troubling. If their forces can dispatch our best Pandoras this easily, then they may be a serious threat after all." The second man stared up at one of the screens, which had frozen on the faceplate of a SPARTAN. "Terrifying creatures, aren't they? Faceless, souless killers, just like the Nova."

"So the question now is how do we cover this?"

"Simple." This came from the highest-ranking man in the room. "We tell the UNSC that those Pandora were rouge operatives acting outside of our orders. We apologize, we offer the best medical care around to the wounded Marines, and we move on. Although I think it would be best if we avoid pushing the UNSC for a while. Give them considerably more freedom while this all blows over." The man looked up at the screen that showed the SPARTAN as well. "Playing the coward might be our best stance... for now."

**West Genetics Academy, Cafeteria, One hour after the attack...**

"Outrage from the UNSC forces today after an attack against their ship, the Ace of Spades. Sources within the Chevalier claim the attack was the work of rouge elements within the organization." The screen showed a video from one of the Marines, showing a team of SPARTANs ripping through a large group of Pandoras with ease. Charlotte looked away at the sight of one of the SPARTANs crushing a Pandoras head against the floor, sending bits of brain and skull spraying between its fingers.

Gabe stared up at the screen, shaking with rage. "Pandoras from a rouge faction?" he whispered. "Bullshit. I've seen enough botched ONI schemes to know what this shit is." His fists clenched on the table. Two squads of Marines had been wiped out in the attack according to the news report. Thanks to the quick response from the Chevalier medical teams many of the Marines had been saved, but five brave soldiers had lost their lives in that fight.

Gabe felt a hand on his fist and broke his gaze from the screen to find Alexis watching him, her hand over his. "I'm sorry about your comrades," she whispered. "I'm sure the Chevalier will spare no expense in bringing those terrorists to justice." Gabe wanted to tell her what he really thought was going on but couldn't. Seeing her like this, as if afraid he'd turn and attack her over what had happened, stirred something unpleasant in his heart.

"Don't worry partner," he said. "I'll bet there'll be a huge fuss over this for a few days, then everything will go back to normal."

"But what about you?" Charlotte asked. "I remember what you told me about the ODSTs and why they hate SPARTANs so much. This situation is very similar, won't the same thing happen here?"

Gabe shook his head. "Hell nah. It was terrorists. It wasn't like those Pandora were ordered to attack us." He looked at the others, realizing that nobody was convinced by what he'd said. "Come on, cheer up guys!" He elbowed Devon in the ribs. "The ODST class starts today! You guys ready for an overdose of awesome?"

"That reminds me!" Alexis said suddenly. "I heard Admiral Hartman and Sister Margret talking about it! They've recalled the ODSTs. A SPARTAN is going to teach the class instead!"

This caught the attention of everyone at the table, causing them to forget about the attack on the Ace of Spades for the moment. "A SPARTAN? For real?" Ivan glanced up at the screen then back at Alexis. "I mean.. they're amazing and all that, but wouldn't their training be way too much for us?"

Gabe grinned, tossing back his water before answering. "Don't worry. Just showing up will make you look like a badass. Especially after what we've seen those SPARTANs do."

**West Genetics Academy, physical training field, 1600**

Gabe made his way down to the training field after classes that afternoon along with a number of fourth-year Limiters. Ivan, Devon, and Horacio were with him. There was still plenty of talk among the student body about the attack that morning, and after the videos that the UNSC had released there was a new attitude among the others towards him. Rather than constantly being bombarded with questions and requests, Gabe found himself being avoided like a leper. Not that this bothered him, however. He was content to focus on his studies and occasionally chat with Alexis or one of the others.

As the guys reached the field they found a number of Pandoras sitting on a grassy embankment with a good view of the entire field. Alexis was easily visible in their midst with her pure-white braid.

A single woman waited for the Limiters to arrive, standing with her arms folded. She was easily seven feet tall and built like a gymnast. She wore a pair of green UNSC BDU pants, standard-issue boots, and a green muscle shirt. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a pony tail and her eyes, the unnatural neon blue common to the SPARTAN-IIs, studied the Limiters with a cool, calculating gaze.

"Alright, listen up!" The booming voice of the SPARTAN caused the Limiters to immediately stop talking and stand a bit straighter, all eyes towards the front. Even the Pandoras watching went silent. "You men have all had basic military training in order to become Limiters. I'm sure all of you are quite good at what you do. However, your survival skills and combat equipment are abysmal at best! And that's why I'm here. My name is First Lieutenant Tess-102, and as of right now I will be your instructor. I will teach you to think. I will teach you to fight. When I'm done with you, you will no longer be Limiters. You will be soldiers capable of surviving the heaviest combat and dominating the deadliest foes! In order to reach that level of efficiency, you must train harder, longer, and more thoroughly than your enemy. And so, we're going to open this class with some basic PT. Fall out, platoon!"

The Limiters began to run. At first they were uncoordinated, running at different speeds and on different timing. SPARTAN-102 ripped into them, barking orders. Soon enough the Limiters were moving as a unit and barking cadences like real soldiers. For Gabe, the training brought back memories of boot camp. Once again he sounded off, singing his heart out to the wind as they ran seemingly endless laps around the school.

The training course lasted four solid hours. After the PT they watched SPARTAN-102 fight mock hand-to-hand battles against various Limiters, always ending with the SPARTAN subduing her opponents without taking a single hit. Only Gabe was able to touch the SPARTAN, after which he found himself thrown over her shoulder and onto the ground. But even by the end of the first class there was a massive improvement in the Limiters. They still didn't hold a match to the SPARTAN even when she was going easy on them, but they were beginning to fight smarter and better when paired up against each other. Even Gabriel, who'd been through the hellish ODST training as well as normal UNSC Marine Corps boot camp, learned a few things from the SPARTAN.

When the class was finally over Gabe and the others made their way towards the showers, chattering about the class.

"Dear God, I think I'm in love!" Devon said. "Did you see her? She was all 'Bam!' and we were all 'Wham!' and she was just all like 'Yeah, I totally did that.'" He looked up at the array of lights that was the Ace of Spades up in the sky. "I don't think I've ever seen a more amazing woman in my life!"

A hand grabbed Devon's shoulder at that point. Gabe found himself taking an instinctive step back from the man. It was a good thing he did, because the Limiter was soon flung through the space Gabe had been standing in seconds previously with a massive lump forming on his face. Gabe looked around to find that Sophia, Devons partner, had been walking behind them. The Pandora looked utterly enraged by what her Limiter had just said. Gabe tensed up for a moment, preparing for a possible attack, but Sophia just turned and stormed off. The ODST waited until she was gone before picking his friend up.

"Guess she's jealous," he teased. "Come on, let's get hosed off. You don't want to try to apologize to her smelling like you just came out of a wrestling match!" And so the two males rushed off to the showers, both tired from their hard training but still wired from the experience.

**Meanwhile, outside the fourth-years men's dorm...**

Alexis stood off to the side of the door to the dorm building, waiting for Gabe's return. She'd figured he'd be exhausted from the hard training and so she'd slipped off while the other Pandoras watched. Her skill in the kitchen wasn't the greatest but she'd put together a meal for her partner. Perhaps tonight, in his room...

A figure approached her from the darkness. At first she thought it was Gabe and took a step towards the approaching person. Her smile faded, however, when the figure entered the light cast from a nearby lamp post.

Samantha van Houten eyed up her fellow Pandora, taking notice of the basket the girl carried. For a moment the two simply stood there. Finally Alexis spoke. "Good evening," she said civilly.

"It is a nice night, isn't it?" The other girl stepped up next to Alexis and turned to face the path, leaning her back against the wall of the dorm building. "The cool air, the stars in the sky... the scent of lust and adultery."

Alexis felt herself bristle at these words. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Don't play dumb. Your partner isn't even cold in the grave and you're already chasing after someone else!" The other girl tossed her hair back, her eyes finding Alexis' face. "Don't you feel even a little bit of shame? Throwing yourself at that alien without any hesitation... James would be disgusted."

Alexis felt her anger rising but fought to control it. "Gabe and I are partners! We've done nothing wrong!"

"Who are you trying to convince? Me.. or yourself?" Samantha stood straight again, walking off into the darkness. "Although.. you're not entirely to blame. After all, that Helljumper is the one toying with a Pandora when he's got a wife in that universe he came from." And with those cutting words she left Alexis to wonder and worry.

When Gabe came through later he found a basket of food laying on the ground with no sign of the owner in sight.

(A/N: Short chapter, I know! But story stuff nonetheless! A bit of rising action for y'all to enjoy. Now, a heads-up. I'm going to use an event from the original Freezing series in the next couple of chapters. It's one that I've always wondered how the UNSC would react to, and it makes the perfect backdrop for the situation between Gabe and Alexis. So get ready lovelies! And yes, I will try to avoid altering the canon series of events as little as possible. Because that's how I roll.)


	10. Chapter 10

"A what?" Gabe looked at Charlotte over his bacon.

"A join operation!" The other Pandora seemed offended that he didn't know. "You know, with those new Valkyrie units!"

"Fuck's a Valkyrie?" Gabe asked, earning laughs from the others at the table.

"The new Pandora project," Devon answered. "They did a demonstration while you were under lockdown. These girls tore apart a dummy like it was nothing! They brought in some of the best Pandoras in the world to work with the Valkyries and create the ultimate fighting force. Everyone's been talking about it, almost as much as they've been talking about the UNSC!"

"And so why do we have to be there?" This was asked by Gabe through a mouthful of bacon. Charlotte rolled her eyes at the ODSTs terrible table manners.

"Because! Four teams made of the best Pandoras West Genetics has to offer will be fighting alongside the Valkyrie team. A major corporation has set up a huge training field for us as well. It's going to be a huge event!"

"Yeah, but it doesn't concern the fourth-years, does it?" Gabe had swallowed his mouthful and was working on a second by this point. "Why can't we study or train or something?" There were a number of things he could see as being far more beneficial to him than watching some new toy.

"Because it's our Pandoras that'll be out there! The best third-years will be out there giving it their all, so we have to go support them." Charlotte looked back to her own breakfast at this point as if the discussion was over.

"Whatever... Hey, anyone seen Alexis this morning?" Gabe glanced again to the spot beside him where the Pandora normally sat. Today it was empty. From the looks he saw exchanged around the table he guessed that nobody else had seen her either.

"Maybe she's not feeling well?" Sophia suggested.

"Exactly! She's probably feeling sick or something. As smart as ever, my dear Sophia." Devon was clearly trying everything to get back in his Pandoras good graces... and he was clearly failing. Sophia had seated herself between Lina and Gabe, although Devon had elbowed Ivan out of the way to sit across from her. The Pandora was now avoiding Devons eyes at all costs.

Gabe stood up, picking up his plate and taking it with him. "I'm gonna go look for her... Something just feels off." He turned and headed for the door, stopping to place his plate and such in the bin meant for dirty dishes.

"Don't be late to the operation!" Charlotte called after him.

Gabe combed the entire campus, searching high and low for Alexis. He even managed to miss the opening of the Valkyrie/Pandora joint operation, although he hadn't seen her among the students heading for the event anyway.

Finally, he decided to do the only thing he could think of. He'd knocked on her door but heard no answer. Now, he was out of options. The ODST returned to the fourth-years girl's dorm, finding his way to room 343. He tapped on her door again but got no answer. And so he tried the door.

At some point Alexis had forgotten to lock the door and so now it opened easily. The armored ODST entered the room, his VISR giving him a clear view in the low-light conditions. A green outline was sitting in the corner, hugging her knees.

"Alexis," Gabe muttered as he knelt in front of her, pulling off his helmet. "What's wrong? Why are you just sitting like this?"

The Pandoras tearstained eyes found the ODSTs. "Why are you here?" she asked. "Just... just go. Go back to your ship before I get you killed too... I don't want to be a homewrecker on top of being a murderer."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Gabe reached out and put a hand on her shoulder only to have her jerk away from him. "Alexis, did I do something? What's going on here?"

"Vanessa," the Pandora whispered. "That's her name, isn't it? Your wife."

For a second Gabe felt as if she'd slapped him across the face. The ODSTs eyes closed for a second and he tilted his head back. After a moment a cold laugh broke forth from him.

"What's so funny?" Alexis muttered.

"Vanessa, huh? I'm guessing you saw that on my knife." He shook his head. "You're actually gonna rip into me about that even though you've got no clue who she was or what she was to me or where she is now."

"Then why don't you tell me, Gabriel Kinkaid?" Alexis' voice was louder now in her anger.

"Vanessa and I had been friends since we were kids," he said quietly, turning around and sitting next to Alexis. "Her dad was filthy rich, and he was my dad's boss. We were inseparable back then. Wherever one of us went the other wasn't far behind. Once we got old enough to notice eachother as a man and a woman we became even closer. I was strong, brave, and a little bit wild. She was beautiful, well-bred, and good at pretty much everything she did. We started dating in seventh grade and everyone said we were perfect for eachother. It was pretty much predestined that we'd get married. But when I was sixteen I got a chance to join the Corps so I took it. She promised to wait for me. Then about a year and a half ago I got picked for the ODST program. She expected me to give that up and settle down with her, start raising a family and whatnot. Didn't particularly like it when I told her I was going to be a Helljumper. We had a huge fight and she told me she never wanted to see me again. I said 'fuck it' and went through with the ODST training, figuring the six months apart would cool her head. But then my first mission as a Helljumper ended in our homeworld getting glassed. She was still planetside." He sighed, suddenly feeling a hell of a lot older than nineteen. "I don't know if she ever forgave me or not. Not that it matters anymore."

Tears began to flow even more as Alexis listened to the troopers story. "I'm.. I'm sorry Gabriel," she whispered. "I just saw the name on that knife, and when Samantha told me you were married I just.. jumped to conclusions.."

"Wait... van Houten told you I was married?" Gabe felt himself getting angry again. "She's probably still pissed about me kicking her stupid ass.. she's fucking dead if I get my hands on her!"

Alexis nodded, thinking about the other thing that Samantha had said. 'Your partner isn't even cold in the grave and you're already chasing someone else!' Those words came back to her, ripping into her heart like bullets.

"Gabriel..." she began.

**Meanwhile, UNSC Ace of Spades Bridge...**

"What do you mean, they're reactivating?" Admiral Lucia Hartman asked of her ship's AI.

"According to Chevalier radio crosstalk, it would appear that the dummy Nova their Valkyrie and Pandora units were supposed to fight against have reactivated themselves after being destroyed." Lodestones nearly emotionless synthesized voice belied the serious nature of the situation.

"What's the situation on the ground?"

"Nearly all of the Pandora units have fallen into chaos. Reports are unclear, but it appears to be some sort of mental assault, possibly related to the unexplained phenomenon that has appeared over the battlefield."

Admiral Hartman gave a glance through the ships forward viewport. A gigantic figure-eight of light could be seen in the distance. "What can you tell me about the phenomenon?"

"Very little is known about it, ma'am. Chevalier records indicate a similar phenomenon appearing over the Evolution Pandora Research Facility in Alaska not long before we arrived in this world. In that case, the phenomenon appeared to cause a rampant Pandora to leave Nova form and return to her human state after absorbing the self-destructing detonation of a Nova, although it cost the life of one of their top Pandoras." The AI was quiet for a moment. "I am receiving Chevalier crosstalk, ma'am."

"Play it."

A series of panicked voices came over the ship's speakers, the voices of various Pandoras in the field below. Some were crying for orders, others reacting to whatever they were seeing down there.. others just screamed in terror.

"Ma'am, it would seem that a new contact has appeared," Lodestone said. "Identifying... Sensor readings are unclear, but the target may be a Nova."

"Have the Marines on standby but do not deploy," Hartman said. "Charge the MAC gun capacitors." This caused several of the crew members to exchange surprised looks. "Get to it, people!"

"Ma'am, if I may inquire about the reasoning behind this decision.." Even the AI sounded confused.

"I won't put lives at risk for no reason," the Admiral said. "But if that thing is actually a Nova and the Chevalier can't put it down, we'll get the job done." 'Maybe then they'll stop dancing in the shadows,' the Admiral thought to herself after she'd spoken.

"At once, ma'am. MAC cannons charging. All Pelican crews are mobilizing and Marines are mustering in their designated drop bays. ODST teams are prepped and ready to deploy at your word." The AI paused again, 'listening' to reports from the soldiers. "Ma'am, the Marines are requesting information. Where should they deploy?"

"I haven't given orders to deploy yet. The troops will receive their orders if and when I decide that orders need to be given." Hartman watched the monitors that showed what was happening down below, waiting.

**West Genetics fourth-year girl's dorm, room 343**

"Gabriel.." Alexis said. "I... do you think I'm wrong to partner with you?"

Gabes eyes found the Pandoras face once more. "What do you mean?"

"It's just..." her voice faded away for a moment. "It's just that.. James has only been gone for a short time," she whispered. "A Pandora and a Limiter are a bonded pair... but James was more than that to me. He was everything to me. Now that he's gone, I just... I just don't know." Tears fell from the girls eyes as she dredged up her biggest worries. "I don't know if it's right that I'm partnering up with you so soon after he died. It's like I'm betraying him.."

Gabe sat in quiet thought for a moment or two. "Well," he said finally. "It sounds to me like James was a soldier who knew his duty. If he wasn't he wouldn't have gone down in battle the way he did. And if he was the soldier I think he was, he would've wanted to make sure the mission was complete. I know that's how I feel." He leaned his head back against the wall, eyes on her ceiling. "Every time I went into battle against the Covenant, every time I dropped into a warzone, every time I pick up a weapon, I know I might not make it home. But no matter how bad it gets or what the mission requires, I know that my life doesn't matter in the face of the mission. I don't want to die, but as long as it gets the job gets done I'm more than willing to give it all. If James was even half the soldier I think he was, he'd agree with me."

Alexis rested her face against her knees. "So you're saying he'd want me to move on?"

"I'm saying he'd want to make sure the job got done. I don't think he gave his life so that you could waste yours sitting in a dark room crying over him. I know that's not why I put my life on the line to protect you that night we met." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "If you ask me, I'd say he'd be happy knowing that you've moved on and that the job will get done."

The Pandora nodded, thinking on his words. Eventually she sighed and leaned against him. "I'm sorry for being so unstable, Gabriel." She gave a small laugh. "You probably think I'm the most useless partner you could've possibly gotten."

"Nah... you're just not cut out for war." He put an arm around the girls shoulders and rested his head against hers. "Someone with a heart as big as yours doesn't belong in a battlefield. It ought to be left to messed-up jarheads like me." At his words the Pandora gave him a shove in the ribs but returned to her comfortable position with her head resting on the bit of undersuit visible between his shoulder pauldron and his chestplate.

**Meanwhile, UNSC Ace of Spades bridge...**

Radio crosstalk still pumped from the ships speakers, giving a gruesome yet confusing image of the situation below.

"Lodestone, what the hell is going on down there?" Admiral Hartman asked.

"The Nova that arrived earlier is splitting itself into smaller humanoid forms. In addition, a new unknown form has appeared floating approximately fifteen feet above the Nova. It is human in structure." There was a moment of quiet, then the AI spoke again. "Alert. The smaller portions of the Nova are increasing. Their numbers are already over five hundred and still rising." Most of the radio chatter had become screaming at this point: horrifying sounds of Pandoras begging for help while being torn apart.

"What's the status of the Chevalier forces?"

"Allied forces are being expended at an alarming rate. Pandora and Limiter teams are having difficulties destroying the humanoid forms. They're losing soldiers rapidly. A detachment of regular military Pandoras has been deployed but they are having the same difficulties as well."

"Ma'am, what are our orders?" This came from the ships weapons officer.

Hartman glared at the screen, listening to the carnage on the ground. On one hand, she didn't want to put her soldiers at risk. But those people down there were dying, and without them the Earth would be even more vulnerable...

"Ma'am, I'm tracking more of the humanoid forms. It appears that they've begun moving towards the Genetics facility." Even Lodestone sounded a little worried at this point. "The Academy is running on a skeleton crew. Most of their forces have already been deployed. I estimate that their current forces, including Corproal Kinkaid and SPARTAN-102, would be overrun within four minutes of combat."

Admiral Hartman finally spoke at that point. "Deploy Marines at the Academy. Orders are to fortify the position and hold back the Nova at all costs. Have SPARTAN-049 and his team move to assist the Chevalier forces in the field. Contact SPARTAN-102 and Corporal Kinkaid, I want both of them ready to fight." She stood up and walked to the forward viewport. "Move the ship into position above the Academy. We'll provide covering fire with our guns. Launch fighters for close air support."

Alarms began to sound throughout the ship. Almost instantly transports and starfighters began launching from the ships hangars. ODST pods fell from the belly of the warship on a course towards the West Genetics academy. The ship itself began to lower, settling just over the Academy in a protective manner. For better or worse, the UNSC had mobilized for war.

**West Genetics fourth-year girls dorm room 343...**

Gabe heard the sound of sudden impacts in the distance and stood up. He grabbed his helmet as he moved towards the window and opened the curtain. What he saw made his jaw drop in shock. Hundreds of Pelicans were deploying soldiers any open area they could find in the school. Scorpion tanks and Warthog LRVs drove this way and that, heading for the nearest gate. Above them the Ace of Spades loomed like a deadly shadow, her guns spewing death at distant targets. Whatever was going on it was big.

"Come on," Gabe said to Alexis as he slipped on his helmet. "I think we're under attack!"

As the two hurried out into the hall Gabe began listening to the radio chatter. From what he could gather something had happened at the joint operation. ODST teams seemed to be dropping around the school as a first response. There wasn't much to be heard of the Genetics Pandoras but screams.

As they exited the building they found SPARTAN Tess-102 in her armor moving to join the rest of her team. Gabe and Alexis caught up to the supersoldier as she was boarding a familiar graffiti'd Pelican.

"What's going on?" Gabe asked.

"Pandora forces are being wiped out." Tess-102 sound cold and mechanical at this point, typical of a SPARTAN in the field. "My team is being sent in to perform rescue operations."

Gabe glanced at Alexis, who nodded. "We're with you, SPARTAN." Tess-102 nodded and climbed into the back of the Pelican. She turned once aboard and held out a hand to help Alexis into the craft. Gabe climbed aboard easily on his own, having done so many, many times in the past.

Pelican F290 took off and made for the battlefield, flying over the wall of the Academy. Gabe, sitting in the end seat, watched the operations below. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of Marines were digging in as fast as possible. Foxholes had been dug, sandbags piled to make bunkers and cover, and mounted guns had been set up just outside the walls of the school. Tanks had been positioned along the line of defense and Gabe could see a number of Warthogs waiting to jump into the fray. Overhead, Longsword fighters patrolled like buzzards waiting to seize their prey. Even this far above them Gabe could feel the tension that surrounded the Marines as they perpared for battle.

Further ahead, the Pelican began to pass through some sort of thick fog. What Gabe could see through the fog gave him the chills. Dozens of Pandoras and Limiters lay dead, having been literally torn apart. Among their corpses walked hundreds upon hundreds of... things. They were easily taller than a SPARTAN, unarmed but possessing large claws and wicked-looking jaws. Gabe didn't need a closer look to know that, whatever the bastards were, they were connected to the Nova. A prickle of fear crept up the ODSTs spine. Just as he had on the night the Ace had arrived on this world, Gabe found himself with a bad feeling about this mission.


	11. Chapter 11

Sandbags, armor plating, tables, chairs, large rocks... anything the UNSC Marines could get their hands on had been scraped together to form a barricade. Now, hundreds of Marines stood at the ready behind their makeshift fortification. The imposing forms of Scorpion tanks loomed among the Marines, their engines purring softly within their metal carapaces. Above their lines hung the long, deadly shape of a Phoenix-class colony ship, the UNSC Ace of Spades.

Behind the line stood the walls of West Genetics Academy. The schools usual occupants were gone, leaving only the UNSC forces to defend the place against impending attack.

One of the snipers lining the school's walls gave a sudden yell. Every Marine on the barricade tensed, searching for targets.

Downrange from the UNSC forces was a thick cloud of... fog, it seemed. Whatever this fog was, it was obscuring their view of the operation site. However, there was no obscuring the shapes that approached the Academy. Tall, vicious-looking creatures clearly of Nova origin were shambling up the road towards the Marines. Their oversized clawed arms swung loosely at their sides, the wicked mouths at the ends of their elongated heads open in anticipation of Marine blood.

"Dear God," one of the Marines said. "They're like Elites with tits!" (A/N: That was my exact thought when I first saw the humanoid forms in the manga. Figured it'd fit here.)

"All units, the enemy is in view! OPEN FIRE!"

At the call the entire line exploded with the full fury of the UNSC Marine Corps. Rifles, machine guns, tanks cannons, coilgun turrets, and rocket launchers spoke all along the lines as every Marine lit into the enemy with whatever weapon he or she was carrying. Behind the walls of the Academy, two Rhino tanks had deployed in the schools courtyard and were now lobbing plasma rounds over the walls, raining burning hellfire down on the incoming aliens. Hundreds of the creatures fell under the fire of the Marine forces, but hundreds more approached up the path. They were moving much quicker now that the Marines had attacked, quickly closing the gap between themselves and the human warriors.

A flight of wedge-like Longsword fighters streaked low over the Nova with their autocannons blazing. Behind them came Shortsword bombers, shorter and slower but armed for ground combat. The bombers laid a variety of munitions into the Nova, including high-impact carpet bombs and plasma-based incendiary weapons.

The advancing Nova forms crumpled under the extreme show of firepower, but no matter how many the Marines cut down they just kept coming. Many of the forms that had sustained less damage regained their feet, their hollow bodies reforming and continuing on their deadly assault.

On the other side of the battle, behind the enemy lines, a number of DD-77 Pelican swept low over the battlefield. One such Pelican was designated F290, piloted by Warrant Officer Sarah Williams and carrying the members of SPARTAN Pink Team along with a single ODST and a Pandora.

Gabe watched the cloud of fog light up from the distant battle. He could see hundreds more of the monsters down below moving among the dead and dying Pandoras and Limiters. Off in the distance he could see other Pelicans dropping into the fray, their weapons ablaze as they tried to rescue survivors.

As they cut through a clearing in the fog Gabe spotted something else that took priority over the scattered Chevalier forces. The towering form of a Nova, the one breaking apart into smaller forms, could be seen through the fog. And floating not too far from it was...

"Holy hell.." Gabe breathed. He nudged Alexis and pointed. "Are you seeing that?"

Alexis followed the ODSTs finger, trying to make out the form he was indicating. At first she thought it was a Pandora. Then, as the fog cleared for a moment, she got a better look at the being. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end at the sight of the... thing. It was clearly a Nova, but it was shaped exactly like a human woman. Assuming human women could glide over the ground like some sort of ghost. A number of Pandoras were gathered around the thing, attacking it but seeming to do no damage whatsoever.

"What is that?" she asked.

"I don't know, but I'm gonna find out." Gabe manifested his weapon, the crimson-accented MA5B rifle, and stood up. As his stigmata activated he began to feel the beginnings of his previous bloodthirst but he ignored it for now, more concerned with the mission. He reached into one of the overhead racks and retrieved a backpack-like contraption that he hooked to his armors weapon clamps. "Warrant Officer, I'm hotdropping!" he called up towards the cockpit. In response the Pelican slowed and lowered into the fog. Alexis realized what Gabe was about to do and stood as well, her own double-bladed scythe forming in her hands. Her eyes locked on Gabe, waiting to follow his lead.

Gabe waited for a second or two then stepped backward off of the ramp. The jetpack he'd borrowed fired as he fell towards the ground, slowing him and cushioning his fall. Several of the monstrosities around him turned their attention towards the ODST.

One of the creatures made a move towards Gabe, only to have the feet of a Pandora slammed into it's chest. Alexis had jumped from the dropship right after Gabe. She hit one of the Nova forms dead-on, knocking the creature to the ground and skating on it's body. Her scythe bit into the ground to slow her down. Once stopped she gave the creature a good slash across the neck then ran to join Gabe, who had opened fire on the approaching Nova forms. She glanced back just before she reached him to find the creature she'd disabled was already back on its feet, heading straight for her.

"What now?" she asked, pressing her back against the ODSTs. "These things are tougher than they look."

"No kidding," Gabe muttered. He didn't want to waste time with these things when the creature he'd been seeing in his nightmares was so close. However, the Nova forms didn't seem like they'd let him by if he asked nicely. "Looks like we've got work to do."

Alexis nodded and tightened her grip on her weapon. "Right." With that single word she charged, hyperaccelerating towards the Nova forms. Or at least that was her intent. The moment she took a step she found herself locked in place. "A Freezing?!" One of the creatures reared up near her then brought its ugly head down towards her, clearly intending to bite her. However, the creature instead found itself with a mouthful of particle beam shots from Gabes Volt Weapon. The ODST fired a few more times, cutting down another of the creatures before turning to Alexis.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes, but I can't move! They're creating a Freezing effect just like a Nova!"

Gabe fired again as he tried to come up with a way out of the situation. Could he carry her out? No, there were too many of them and if he was carrying her he would't be able to use his rifle. There was no time to call for air support, and he couldn't hold these things off by himself.

Only one option seemed viable to him. "Alexis, how do normal Limiters do their whole Freezing bit?"

"After engaging an Ereinbar Set, why?"

"Let's try it." He cracked one of the creatures in the face with the butt of his rifle before pumping rounds into it and the one behind it.

Alexis was shocked at the suggestion. "But it'd be the first time! We don't know how we'll react to eachother... and what if something goes wrong like when I gave you your baptism?!"

"It's not like we have any other choice!" Gabe turned towards her and fired over her head, taking down another Nova form that had been coming for her. At the same time the two he'd just downed a moment before were already getting back up. "I'm too damn pretty to die here, Alexis!"

Alexis hesitated then nodded. "I'm ready when you are," she said.

**UNSC Third Front, Chevalier Residential Sector...**

Segeant Hank Davis scrambled out of his pod just as the rest of his squad began to land around him. The ODSTs were tasked to hold a final line of defense behind the quickly failing Genetics Pandoras. Apparently the enemy had split some of their numbers off and were making for the residential area. The bulk of the UNSC forces had deployed near the Genetics academy on what was being called First Front, leaving the residential area to the Pandoras and their Limiters. However, with the Chevalier forces dwindling, the UNSC were rushing to get the civilian sector secured before the smaller Nova forms could breach the Chevalier lines.

"Alright ladies, sound off!" The sergeant reached back into his pod momentarily, pulling out his BR-55 and cycling a round into the chamber. The ammo counter under the weapons scope read thirty-two.

"Everyone's here," Mitch said. The ODST stood near his sergeant while the others spread out a little. "So what's the plan, boss?"

"We're going to set up here," Davis said. He pointed towards a convenience store nearby that had been closed when the fighting started. "We can hole up there. Rack-Em, I want you on the roof." The rookie ODST nodded, setting off at a run with his sniper rifle across his back. "Mitch, you take the storefront. The rest of us will take the back wall. We'll have the best shot from there." He looked up towards the sky then checked the tacmap on his VISR. "Looks like the other squads are doing the same thing all along the edges of town."

"ETA on backup, sir?" This came from Rex, a large man with a rocket launcher on his back and his SMG in his hands.

"Not sure. Pelican crews are busy as hell with the rescue operations. It looks like Hartman ordered the SPARTANs to join us, but for now we're on our own." He set off after Rack-Em, who had already shot the lock on the door of the store and taken up his position on the rooftop. The ODSTs set up shop inside the store, silently preparing for the coming battle.

**UNSC First Front, West Genetics Academy Outer Wall...**

The heavy scent of gunsmoke filled the air along the UNSC defensive line. So far they'd managed to keep the enemy back outside of Freezing range, but the endless swarm of Nova forms was getting closer by the minute.

UNSC Marine medics had set up a field hospital behind the wall of the Academy. Pelicans were starting to return from the distant battlefield laden with wounded Pandoras and Limiters as well as Marines. Each dropship carried a small group of soldiers to defend the ships as they picked up the survivors as well as to help the survivors aboard. But the carnivorous Nova forms had given the Marines hell on the ground just as they had the Pandoras. The scent of blood was strong in the air as the UNSC medics rushed this way and that in an attempt to treat as many of the wounded as possible.

Lina Chu Long, the Asian Pandora who was friends with Alexis and the others, had returned from battle with only one arm. Now, patched up as best as possible by the UNSC, she stood by the side of a Marine who had been wounded while trying to save her. The soldier had thrown himself in between her and one of the humanoid Nova forms, his battle rifle spewing lead. The creature had lashed out at him with its claws, tearing through his armor and ripping into the mans flesh. Now his bloodied armor had been removed and his wounds packed with a yellowish-white foam that came from a can. Lina watched as a medic tended to the man, spraying more foam into the wounds and checking the IV pack he was hooked to.

"Will he be alright?" Lina asked of the medic.

At the Pandoras words the medic glanced up from the soldiers IV for a moment. "Probably not," she said gruffly. "He's bleeding internally. Maybe if we could get him to the Ace, but all of our Pelicans are running triple duty trying to rescue survivors and fortify our other deployments."

Lina took the soldiers hand, squeezing tightly. "What if I could get a helicopter? There's an airfield nearby, maybe there's a transport that hasn't taken off yet?"

"And who's gonna fly it, chick?" The medic was getting irritated now. "Listen, if you get a transport and a pilot, I will GLADLY send him and others up to the Ace. But until then, why don't you just shut up and let me do my damn job?"

Lina nodded and stood up. "Hang in there," she whispered to the wounded Marine. "I'll be back soon." And like that the one-armed Pandora tore off towards the gates. The Medic watched her go then went back to her work.

"Damn kids," she grumbled.

**Genetics Joint Operation Field, designated UNSC Second Front...**

Gabe took a second to fire another barrage at a humanoid form that had gotten too close then turned his attention towards Alexis. He called back what he'd read about the Ereinbar Set and it's activation. He knew Alexis was standing by behind him...

Time to roll the dice.

At first he didn't feel anything whatsoever. Then a new presence formed within his head. His mind processed a second set of senses. He could taste something sweet that made him think of berries, could feel the soft touch of fabric against skin that wasn't his, could hear the rushing of blood through veins other than his own. He could see another self holding a double-ended scythe and facing down a humanoid Nova. Gabe spun on his heel to see the same sight. His rifle barked a few times and knocked the Nova back.

Alexis found herself able to move again and turned to face Gabe, her cheeks flushing. "I guess you were right after all," she whispered. "This feels... strange. It's way different from a normal Ereinbar Set. I still feel your senses and everything but.. it's different.."

"We can worry about that later," Gabe said. "We've got to move. Come on, back me up!" He rushed one of the oncoming Nova, shots from his weapon cutting the creatures legs out from underneath it. He ran over the top of the creature and continued firing, trying to cut a path through the seemingly endless horde.

The world suddenly exploded in a roar of sound and force. Gabe felt himself thrown back into Alexis and the pair tumbled end over end. Nova forms flew past them as well, thrown by the same force. Light poured down upon the two from a tear in the fog around them. Gabe didn't have to see the source to know that sound.

"Looks like the Ace is getting busy," he said with a grin as he pulled Alexis to her feet.

**UNSC Ace of Spades bridge...**

"Direct hit! S-type Nova has been hit!" The weapons officers voice was drowned out by cheers from the bridge crew at these words.

"Hold it down, this isn't over yet!" Hartman watched on the ships holotable as the Nova fell. That was one target gone but there were still several left. "Target dummy number three next. Fire when ready!"

"Cannon two is hot. Calculating firing solution... going loud!" The ship shook as a second MAC round exploded from her nose. The second round impacted on the dummy in question, utterly obliterating the target. "Direct hit! Dummy two is down for the count, ma'am!"

"Good. Keep shooting. Target number four next!" Hartman watched the tiny indicators that represented the Chevalier soldiers moving towards target two, leaving number four as a safe target to fire upon.

"Thirty seconds until MAC recharge, ma'am. Firing solution is locked in. Waiting for the juice."

"Ma'am!" This came from the comm officer. "Chevalier GENCOM just made contact! They want to speak to you."

"About time," Hartman muttered. "Alright, patch them through." There came a burst of static from the ships speakers then the comm officer nodded at the Admiral. "This is Admiral Lucia Hartman," the Admiral said aloud.

"Admiral, this is Sister Margaret." (A/N: Just realized last night that I've been spelling her name wrong this whole time. My bad, dudes!) "Would you mind telling me just what you're doing?"

"Saving your sorry asses." Hartman was less than pleased by the Sisters attitude. "If you'd like we could leave your people to die down there."

"I apologize," Margaret said. "We are most grateful for the assistance. Is there anything you need us to do?"

"Yeah. Pull your forces back away from the Nova dummies. Let our MAC guns take 'em out." As if on cue the ship shook again. A second later dummy number four vanished from the holotable.

"Very well. Be advised that one of our Pandora has stolen a helicopter and is currently en route to your ship with some of your wounded."

"Glad to see someone's pitching in around here." Hartman gave the signal to kill the comm and Sister Margarets response was cut off. A moment later the ship shook again as another MAC blast was fired.

**UNSC Third Front, Chevalier residential sector...**

A graffiti'd Pelican lowered near the convenience store Echo squad was holed up in. The back end of the Pelican was open, revealing the ten members of SPARTAN Pink Team. Jeremy-049 led his soldiers out of the dropship, running along the street towards the edge of the residential area. In the distance they could hear more screaming as the Pandora forces fell in the face of their enemies. The SPARTANs could see shapes moving in the distance at the top of a ridge. Jeremy knew that the final Chevalier line of defense had been on the other side of that ridge. If the enemy was coming, it meant that the Chevalier had failed.

"Alright team, we're moving up. Lock and load!" Nine blue acknowledgment lights winked at him in response and the SPARTAN team continued on, passing the ODST defenses and rushing headlong into the battle.

The SPARTANs reached the top of the ridge unchallenged. The shapes they'd seen were gone, as were most of the Nova forms. Jeremy-049 watched the remnants of the enemy force, utterly bewildered by the turn of events. Had the Chevalier forces managed to regroup this much?

"There are still hostiles in the area," Tess-102 said. "Do we engage?"

Jeremy nodded and set off down the ridge towards a pack of the humanoid Nova. The SPARTAN team followed him, guns ablaze. As they got close the Nova turned and rushed the SPARTANs, their mouths silently howling for blood. Jeremy switched his grasp on his weapon, preparing to fight the enemy hand-to-hand.

Without warning the entire group of Nova simply fell apart. The SPARTANs came to a halt, weapons up. In their gunsights, surrounded by dead Nova forms, stood the form of a woman. She was tall and beautiful, with dark hair and an even darker expression gracing her lovely features. She carried a pair of blades fixed to her wrists and extending back towards her elbows. Her clothes consisted of a complicated black and white dress and thigh-length black boots. Her bizarre orange eyes went to the SPARTANs, examining them for a moment. Jeremy-049 lowered his weapon, taking a step towards the woman.

"Pandora?" he asked.

The woman nodded then turned to face towards the nearest pack of Nova. She simply seemed to disappear after that, reappearing an instant later in the midst of the Nova. Jeremy watched in interest for a bit then signaled to the others to move up. Together with the unknown Pandora the SPARTANs set to the task of clearing out the rest of the Nova.

**UNSC First Front, West Genetics Academy...**

"KEEP SHOOTING!" Captain Larson shouted to the men under his command as the Nova bore down upon them. "KILL 'EM ALL DAMMIT!"

The Marines fought with everything they had, but the Nova were nearly unstoppable. Twice the defensive line had been broken, each time resulting in a flood of casualties. The deployed Warthogs acted as a rapid-response force, but in the time it took them to reinforce the broken lines the UNSC took heavy losses. Those monsters grabbed, slashed, impaled, and even ate the desperately fighting Marines. Even worse, the first breach had caused the UNSC forces to become immobilized. Luckily some of the survivors from the battlefield were Limiters and could cast a counter-Freezing to aid the UNSC troops.

Now, however, the UNSC were nearly at their limit. Their munitions were running low at this point, and fatigue was setting in all along the lines from the hard fighting. Morale was sinking by the minute and the enemy was getting closer by the second.

There came a sudden scream from down the line. A Marine was dragged out from behind the fortifications and devoured by a pair of Nova forms. More forms rushed that part of the line, attempting to break it. It seemed as if things were about to get bad for the Marines.

Captain Larson looked back from the breach towards the enemy, only to find a Nova right in front of him. He brought his weapon up just as the creature came down at him... then vanished in a blaze of light. Larson looked up and down the line to find that all of the Nova in front of the line had been vaporized by the same light. A second blast came, cutting through more of the Nova. His eyes traced the beam to find..

In the midst of the Nova stood a woman carrying a bizarre weapon halfway between a cannon and a sword. At first Larson couldn't believe his eyes. The woman was tall, shapely, and almost inhumanly beautiful. She stared at the Marines for a moment then, seeming to deem them unthreatening, turned and returned to laying into the Nova.

"Alright people," Larson roared into his radio. "I don't know who the hell that chick is, but let's show her our gratitude! All forces, CHARGE!"

At once a roar of fury escaped the Marines. The surviving forces, filled with courage at the sight of their enemies being slaughtered, scrambled over the top of their fortifications with their guns ablaze. The Warthog teams weaved through their allies, taking the lead in the charge and rushing straight into the fray. The heavy Scorpion tanks rolled down from their positions, the blasts of their cannons deafening the nearest Marines.

Larson was one of the first over the wall, and as such he was in the lead when the Marines caught up with the cannon-wielding Pandora. He skidded to a halt beside her, snapping off a quick salute despite her not being UNSC or any sort of recognizable military. "Captain Scott Larson, UNSC Marine Corps. We're with you all the way, ma'am!" The Pandora didn't react, simply watching the Marine for a moment as he tore off into battle once more. As he rejoined the charge the faintest trace of a smile graced her lips although it quickly vanished again as she brought her weapon to bear once more.

**UNSC Second Front, Genetics Join Operation Site...**

As Alexis tore down yet another Nova form, she couldn't help but feel as if something was wrong. Somewhere in her mind she was beginning to feel a sort of... hunger. She wasn't sure at first if it was something in her or something she was getting through her connection with Gabe. But as her eyes found her companion she began to notice the change in the ODST.

Gabe could feel the bloodlust building inside himself. As the kill count on his weapons display rose so did his desire to destroy. He could feel himself growing excited every time a new Nova came into view. It wasn't a bad feeling; in fact, it felt amazing. But the fact that it felt so good scared Gabe, causing him to fight against it.

But that second fight was taking its toll on Gabe. As he and Alexis tore their way through the Nova forms in an attempt to investigate the Nova/woman, Gabe began to make mistakes. Time and time again he found himself in near-miss situations with the enemy, often being saved at the last possible second by Alexis.

They'd been at it for nearly half an hour, slowly cutting through the Nova forms and making slow progress. Gabe could feel himself wearing down both mentally and physically. This was harder than any battle he'd fought against the Covenant, that was for damn sure.

One of the Nova forms took a swing at Gabe, catching him across the back with the back of it's 'hand.' The blow knocked the ODST to the ground. He managed to land on his back, Volt Weapon up and firing at his assailant. But in going down he'd lost ground against the Nova. More of the things crowded around him, reaching for him. He could hear Alexis screaming to him as she fought off attackers of her own.

He managed to take down two more before the creatures overtook him. One of the Nova bit down on his arm, tearing his bicep in half. Another one ripped into his shoulder while a third plunged its claws into his stomach. A cry of pain came from within the ODSTs helmet.

Was this how he was to die? Torn apart be vicious creatures from another world? On the bright side, he would never have to face the Covenant again. But here, on this world, Gabriel Kinkaid was about to cease to be.

_Unless you fight it.._

Through the haze of pain that clouded his mind, Gabe began to feel another presence. He could still sense Alexis, but this was something.. else. He tried to focus on the other one. It felt familiar and frightening all at once.

_Just fight, Gabriel. I've given you everything you need to fight..._

Fighting... could he fight? He could feel more meat being ripped from his body by the creatures around him. No, it didn't seem as if he could fight.

_Just let go of your weakness and fight. Stop resisting me..._

He realized what he had to fight with at that point. He closed his eyes, smiling behind his polarized VISR. He could fight after all. Or at least, he could try.

Alexis shoved another of the creatures away, fighting desperately to get to Gabriel. She couldn't feel his senses anymore but their connection was still there, still strong. If anything it was getting stronger. She could feel herself beginning to panic at the thought of what was happening within the mass of creatures.

Without warning the crowd dispersed, Nova forms and the lone Pandora being thrown into the air and away from the downed ODST. At first she thought a shot from the ship had hit Gabe. But then, as she picked herself up, her eyes caught an unbelievable sight.

Gabriel Kinkaid stood at the center of the blast, bloody and torn apart but still standing. A crimson glow seemed to emanate from his wounds. As she watched the glow solidified into a sort of framework, like a wireframe model. Flesh and meat grew up around the framework, replacing the ripped, torn, and removed portions of the ODSTs body. As the wounds healed the glow slowly faded then vanished. For a moment there was an eerie silence all around them. Then an utterly inhuman howl fell on the Pandoras eardrums. It took her a second to realize that the sound was coming from Gabe.

The ODSTs howl ended, and at that moment so did his stillness. He lept at one of the Nova, landing on its chest pummeling it with his fists. His blows, fueled by his stigmata, shattered the Novas head with ease. He then jumped off of the broken Nova form and onto another. This time his Volt Weapon reformed as he hit. The rifle spoke, blasting much larger holes than usual in the creatures on the business end of the barrel.

Alexis stood back, watching the destruction before her. She could still feel their Ereinbar Set connection, but what she felt made her skin crawl. Gone was the warm, pleasant feeling of her partners connection. What she felt now was cold, malicious, and evil. It felt like being locked within a Novas Freezing.

In less than a minute Gabe turned the tide of their fight. Now only a handful of the Nova forms still moved, and those that did move simply crawled across the ground in shattered pieces. Gabe stood in the midst of the ruin, his rifle held loosely at his side.

Alexis walked through the busted Nova pieces, slowly approaching her partner. She called his name in a soft voice but he didn't respond or look at her. He just stared off into space. She came closer and reached out, touching his shoulder. At the touch he turned on her, his rifle inches from her face. Alexis froze, paralyzed by the cold hatred radiating from behind that polarized faceplate.

"Gabriel.. it's me," she whispered. "It's me, Alexis. Your partner, remember? It's just me."

For a long moment Gabe didn't move. The ODST simply stared at his partner, his weapon held steady in her face. Then, slowly, he lowered the rifle. He swayed on the spot and Alexis rushed in to catch him before he fell. She steadied her partner and reached up to pull his helmet off. As soon as the covering was removed Gabe let his forehead rest against hers.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah.." Gabe put his hands on her shoulders to steady himself then shifted his weight back onto his legs. "Yeah, I'm fine. Hell if I'm ever trying that again though." He dropped his Volt Weapon, which promptly disintegrated into nothingness, and wrapped his arms around Alexis. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You didn't do anything to me," Alexis said as she returned her partners embrace. "I'm just fine, see? You just got a little carried away is all." She pulled back from him at that point, reforming her Volt Weapon. "Now, I believe you wanted to investigate that Nova?"

Gabe nodded. "Yeah. Let's move." His own weapon manifested in his hand and he brought it up, checking the kill counter. It was back to one. Had it reset when he dropped the weapon? Or maybe it wasn't a kill counter after all? Either way, it didn't matter at the moment. What mattered investigating the creature that seemed to have sprung forth from his nightmares.

The remainder of their trek passed in eerie silence. All of the Nova forms in the area seemed to have been wiped out. On top of it the sounds of battle had faded away. They could occasionally hear the engines of a Pelican as one of the ships came closer than usual, but for the most part there was nothing around them but the fading fog and silence.

They came to the point where they'd seen the Pandoras fighting the human-looking Nova to find... nothing. No Nova, no Pandoras, nothing. Or at least that's what it looked like at first. It was Alexis that finally found something.

"Gabriel, look," she muttered. Her finger pointed towards a slumped shape a few yards off.

Gabe set off to investigate the shape, recognizing it almost immediately as his objective. He knelt at its side and rolled it over. Alexis gave a small gasp of surprise at the sight.

"Son of a bitch," Gabe whispered.

The Nova indeed looked like a woman. Or rather, what was left of a woman. One of its arms, a good portion of its torso, and its entire head were missing. It was as if they'd been sliced off. Gabe looked around. There were no signs of a MAC round hitting here, and there weren't any Pandora around either. So what had...

His eyes fell on the creatures head section, lying several feet from the body. Its face was obscured by its hair but Gabe felt he knew exactly what was there. He approached the head section and crouched down by it. He held his rifle one-handed and reached out with the other to brush the Novas hair away from its face.

The sight of those all-too-familiar eyes gazing emptily up at him from its face almost made Gabe drop his weapon. He stood up and backed away from the Novas head, feeling himself shaking. Alexis stood next to him, watching the head as well.

"What does this mean to you?" she asked.

"I... I don't know. I keep having nightmares about her. Started right after what happened to me on the Ace. Now I can't get her the hell out of my head."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" A voice came from behind the two, causing them to turn and bring their weapons up. "I didn't know you wanted that one. If I did I wouldn't have broken quite as much!" Standing behind the pair was a young woman with bright red hair tied in two pigtails. She carried a ridiculously large hammer and her eyes had an inhuman quality to them.

"Who the hell are you?" Gabe asked.

**UNSC Ace of Spades bridge...**

Admiral Hartman watched the holotable, listening to the battle reports coming in from the ground forces. According to what she was hearing the smaller Nova forms had been completely eradicated by a small handful of previously-unknown Pandoras. Casualty reports were high, however, and a staggering amount of ammunition had been expended in the fighting. On the upside, however, the Genetics Academy and the adjacent city had been spared. Their mission had been accomplished.

The door of the bridge opened behind her and two armed Marines entered, escorting a single Pandora between them. They stopped just inside the door and waited for the Admiral to acknowledge them. Hartman turned around and nodded to the Marines before approaching the Pandora.

"What's your name, soldier?" she asked.

"Fourth-year Lina Chu Long, ma'am." Linas voice shook a bit. She'd heard from Charlotte and Alexis just how frightening the Admiral could be, and here she was having been captured after approaching the Ace of Spades without clearance in a stolen Chevalier helicopter. Granted, she was bringing wounded Marines up to the ship for medical treatment, but she'd still broken a number of laws and ran the risk of getting shot down by the UNSC gunner crews.

"Well, Miss Chu Long. I hope you know just how severe your crimes are. It's going to take all of the weight I can throw around and then some to keep them from giving you a court-martial."

"Ma'am?" Lina wasn't quite sure she'd heard that right.

"You saved a number of my men today, Miss Chu Long. For that, you have my gratitude. I'll do what I can to avert your punishment. For now, however, I'm going to have to confine you to the Ace. These Marines will show you to the crew quarters. I'm sure we can find a bunk for you until I get your name cleared. It's the least we can do after what you did for us." The Admiral held out a hand to the girl, who shook it promptly.

"Thank you so much, Admiral!" she said. "Um.. Admiral... About one of the Marines I brought up.. I think his name was Private Reed... is he going to be alright now?"

Admiral Hartman shook her head. "I'm not sure. I'm still trying to sort through all the after-action reports. But as soon as I have information on Private Reeds condition I'll inform you."

"Thank you, Admiral!" The girl bowed to Hartman then followed the two Marines out of the room. Admiral Hartman went back to the holotable, watching as her forces continued the work at hand.

**UNSC Second Front, Aboard Pelican V39...**

Gabe had called for a Pelican extraction team, and now he and the two Pandoras sat among a half-dozen battleworn Marines and a couple of Chevalier troops. Gabes eyes were still on the mysterious hammer-wielding woman. She'd introduced herself as Windy May and explained her situation, but Gabe was still fighting to process it.

"So lady, lemme get this straight. You're some super version of a Pandora?"

"I'm the daughter of the first Pandora, Maria Lancelot." Windys eyes studied the ODST curiously. If her story was true, then she really hadn't seen or even heard of anything like him before. "I've been in stasis for a long time because me and my sisters were very prone to corrosion."

"And what the hell was that thing you killed? The Nova-looking woman thing?"

"I couldn't tell you," she said, although Gabe had a funny feeling she was full of it. "All I know is that it was going after my little nephew and his friends. I couldn't allow that, now could I?"

"Right..." Gabe gave up on trying to squeeze her for information, instead leaning back in his seat and resting his helmeted head against the metal plating of the Pelican. Alexis laid her hand on his, looking at him in concern.

"So, just what are you guys?" Windy had taken that as her cue to start with her own questions. "Are you some new anti-Nova weapon or something?"

"Nah," Gabe said. "We're just badasses from the other side of forever. We're green, we're mean, and we scare the shit out of anything we face on the field."

"Ooh-rah!" This came from the squad of Marines that had been on the Pelican when it arrived. Windy studied the soldiers with interest before looking back to Gabe. She didn't ask any further questions as the Pelican passed over the walls of the Academy. In fact, she didn't speak until they'd disembarked from the Pelican.

"Well, it was nice meeting you Mister Green-and-Mean!" She took off at that point, heading towards the school buildings as if she knew exactly where she was going and what she was doing. Gabe watched the Pandora for a moment then shook his head.

"Way too weird for me," he whispered. He was suddenly feeling just how tired he was. He knew the UNSC brass would want to debrief him, but at this point all he wanted was bed. Maybe a meal later on, but for now just bed.

Alexis could tell that her partner was wiped out by the fighting. To be honest, she was feeling drained as well. She took his hand and led him off, careful to avoid the UNSC soldiers who still scurried this way and that.

She led him back to her own room, helping the nearly-sleepwalking ODST out of his armor and easing him into her bed. Her own uniform, a creation of her Volt Texture, vanished at a whim. She then pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt and slid into bed next to Gabe, laying her head on the already-out ODSTs chest. She still wasn't sure what was going on with him or why he seemed so unnerved by the Nova-woman, but all that could wait. For now, all that mattered was sleep.

(A/N: So, chapter 11! I tried to keep it canon as much as possible. The manga never showed what happened to any of the main cast after the fight with the Pandora form, so I kinda took some artistic license and said that Windy May hung back after the battle, possibly detecting Gabe and Alexis in some way. Also, I tried to stay as true to her character and the others as possible, something I'm terrible at (which is why I prefer OC tales). And to those of you wanting to see some SPARTAN action... well, I'm sorry. I didn't realize how little I'd shown the SPARTANs until after I'd written the chapter. And yes, I did intend for Echo squad to never actually see any action. It'll come up later, I promise! Until then, take care my lovely readers!)


	12. Chapter 12

(A/N: God, I am SO not pleased with this chapter! I don't know what's got me so hostile towards it, but I just can't stand it! But yeah, exposition, story stuffs, and progression! Plus, you know, the aftermath of the battle with the mini-Novas. Enjoy! Oh, and yes, I did mean to leave the bit with Lina open-ended. It'll come up in the next chapter.)

Charlotte Dufrain sat beside her Limiter, Ivan, and watched the news report on the nearest screen. Sophia and Horacio sat near her, both too worried about their respective partners to care about the television.

".. upwards of sixty-five million rounds of ammunition were expended by the combined arms of the UNSC. Tonight, all across the globe, people are praising the visitors as heros. Residents near the West Japan Genetics Academy are especially grateful to the UNSC Marine Corps tonight as they stopped the enemy advance just outside the residential district." The camera cut to a civilian man at that point.

"It was amazing. They just came out of the sky in those little pods and set up defenses. And those green metal guys! Man, they're awesome! They just took off running and next thing you know the battle was over! The Nova never even came close to us thanks to them!"

The camera then cut back to the original reporter, who was standing in one of the Pelican bays on the Ace of Spades. "However, the mood here on the UNSC ship is far from celebratory. Tonight the UNSC mourns the loss of four hundred and eight of their fighting men and women."

The camera cut to another man, this one a UNSC Marine still in his armor with a bloody bandage over his left eye and one of his arms in a sling. The man was pointing at a photo of another Marine with his good hand. "That was my buddy Palmer. He was a good guy and everything, joined up when I did on Antiga. Wanted to be a landscaper once the war was over, y'know? We lost him while saving a couple'a them Limiter boys down there. Got the Limiters out but Palmer... those damn monsters just grabbed him. Poor guy never had a chance.."

"A memorial service is scheduled to be held on the deck of the Ace of Spades. Many Pandoras and Limiters who had been rescued by UNSC forces have requested to attend in order to honor the fallen warriors who made their own survival possible. No word yet on whether or not they will be allowed to attend, although one Pandora is still being held aboard the Ace of Spades..."

Charlotte looked away from the screen and examined the cafeteria. It was nearly three in the morning but the cafeteria was crowded anyway. Hundreds of UNSC soldiers were packed into the room, some carrying wounds from the battle. Pandoras and Limiters from the Chevalier regular forces were mixed in with the UNSC soldiers as well. There were no wary attitudes among the two factions in this room. Soldiers from both sides were dining together, having fought side-by-side with each other. A crowd of Limiters, the ones that had backed up the Marines defending the Academy, were arm-in-arm with the Marines they'd assisted and singing loudly. Charlotte smiled and looked down at her plate.

"It looks like things might get a little better now," she said happily. "And to think that fighting side-by-side was all it took."

Ivan nodded in agreement, watching one of the massive SPARTAN-IIs work his way through the crowd. He could barely read the service tag painted on his chestplate: A139. Even with the new comradery between the UNSC and the Chevalier, the sight of a SPARTAN was still making quite a few people nervous.

"Anyone seen Alexis? Or Gabriel?" The Limiter tore his eyes away from the SPARTAN in order to pose this question.

"I asked one of the UNSC guys earlier," Sophia said quietly. "Apparently they both made it back with one of the Legendary Pandoras. I think he said they were heading towards the girls dorms."

"Guess they wanted to celebrate early." This came from Devon, who had snuck up behind Sophia. At the sound of her Limiters voice Sophia jumped up and turned around, grabbing Devon and hugging him tightly.

"You idiot!" she yelled through the beginnings of tears. "Why the hell didn't you find me sooner?! I've been worried about you! Where the hell have you been?!" Before Devon could answer his Pandora partner pulled back from him then bent down and gave him a long, tender kiss.

"Speaking of celebrating early," Ivan commented as he went back to watching the distant SPARTAN.

**UNSC Ace of Spades, Galley...**

Aboard the Ace of Spades, Lina found herself growing hungry. She'd stayed in her room most of the night. Eventually she'd worked up the courage to poke her head out and ask a passing crewman where the galley was. She'd changed into the plain gray uniform of a UNSC Navy crewman but she still stood out. She felt herself becoming the focus of a number of stares as she got herself a tray of bacon and scrambled eggs along with a mug of coffee. She'd sat down at the end of one of the tables, as close to the corner of the room as she could get.

The coffee was nearly tasteless, almost like drinking hot water. The eggs had a funny aftertaste to them and the bacon was far too greasy, but it was still food. The Pandora ate quietly, avoiding eye contact with the UNSC personnel. At least she did until a trio of Marines sat down around her.

"Yo, chica," one of the Marines said. "You're that little Pandora that brought Reed back up, yeah?" Lina nodded, too nervous to speak. Were these Marines about to lynch her? "Reed's a friend of ours, chica. You probably saved his ass with that stunt you pulled. You need anything you find us, yeah?"

Lina looked up at the man speaking to find that he and his two comrades all had rather friendly looks on their faces. "Thank you very much, sirs," she said in a quiet voice.

"Hey, none of that! You's one of us now!" the Hispanic-looking Marine said. "I'm Oseguera, that's Simmons, and that's Mustard." The other two Marines gave the girl smiles. "So what's your name, chica?"

"Lina Chu Long," Lina said, louder now but still sounding a bit nervous. "I'm a reserve from West Genetics."

"Pretty name," the female Marine named Simmons said. Lina thanked her then turned to the other male Marine.

"Why do they call you Mustard?" she asked.

"Because the first time I used an M41 launcher I managed to hit one of those trucks that pain the yellow lines in the middle of the road. All of the Covenant troops and most of our boys were all painted yellow when the truck blew. Thus, my name is Mustard."

Lina couldn't help herself. The Pandora burst into laughter at the story she was told. The other Marines laughed as well. It was a nice atmosphere and Lina felt herself relaxing around the otherworldly soldiers.

"So, wait a minute," she said, wiping her eyes. "If you guys are the UNSC, who are the Covenant?" At her words the table went quiet. All three Marines took on a grim expression at the mention of their foes. "I'm sorry!" Lina said quickly when she realized what her words had done. "Forget I asked!"

"Nah, it's alright chica." Oseguera said. "The Covies are our enemy. They are to us what those Nova things are to you. They're a buncha alien races that all got together to worship old tech and whatnot. They think us humans are evil, y'know? Like we offended their gods or something and now they're on some holy crusade to kill the crap outta us. They've been wrecking our colonies for thirty years or so now. They just come in huge swarms and bomb the hell out of the planet. Ain't nothin' survives when they glass a planet like that."

Lina fell quiet, thinking. The Covenant sounded like the Nova: an alien threat bent on the destruction of humanity with no real reason given as to why. Which meant that these people, these UNSC Marines...

"You guys and I really aren't that different then," she whispered. "We pretty much fight the same battle, just on different scales."

"Maybe," Mustard said. "But you don't see us shootin' ourselves up with alien bits and pieces. No offense, but that shit just doesn't sit right with me."

Linas eyes went to the Marine. "But it gives us the power to fight. It's the only weapon we've had this entire time that has made any difference in this war. Were it not for the Pandora project,humanity would already be extinct."

Mustard shook his head. "Yeah, but at what cost? Trading yourself for your mission.. I mean, I guess that shows some serious commitment to cause, but damn. I don't think I could ever bring myself to jam some alien guts inside my body."

Lina could feel herself getting offended at this point. "But you UNSC alter your bodies too! Look at the neural implants you all have! And those SPARTANs... I can't even imagine what you did to make those! Are you telling me they're more normal than us Pandoras?"

Simmons spoke at this point. "Well, nobody knows exactly what they did to make the SPARTANs. That's some of the most classified intel around. But there's still a major difference between augmenting a person with machines and augmenting someone with alien body parts. That'd be like if we all started cutting pieces out of the Covies and grafting them into ourselves in hopes of gaining their strength. Even if it worked it'd make us question our own humanity. I don't think it makes you Pandoras any less human, but to a race like ours that has been fighting aliens for so long it's hard to accept the concept of taking a part of the enemy into ourselves. Especially for some of the more narrow-minded members of our race." At this she shot a glare at Mustard, who sunk back in his seat. It was clear who the alpha in this group was.

Lina still looked offended despite what Simmons had said, so Oseguera spoke up at that point. "Hey, I've got an idea. Why don't we show chica here the cargo hold? You know, bay nine? Where we keep the good stuff?"

Lina tilted her head, curious despite her anger. "The good stuff?"

**UNSC Ace of Spades bridge...**

Jeremy-049 stood on the bridge of the ship, his hands behind his back and a thoughtful expression on his face. "So where do we stand?" he asked.

Admiral Lucia Hartman gazed down at the ships holotable, watching a replay of the battle. "I'm not sure. If we operate under the assumption that the Chevalier were involved in the attack against us, it'd seem that they're now in a tight spot. The general public is hailing us as heroes from space, mighty warriors who've laid down our very lives to save the innocents on the ground. If we capitalize on that we may be able to buy ourselves some breathing room. Our opposition will have a hell of a time moving against us if their own people are on our side."

"That also makes the Chevalier dangerous. They'll see us as a threat to their own authority." Jeremy commented. "They may step up their covert counter-operations against us."

"Indeed. No doubt this so-called 'terrorist faction' will spring up and hit us again. They'll probably hit the locals as well to draw suspicion away from the Chevalier."

"So how do we counter this, Admiral?"

Lucia Hartman was quiet for a moment, pondering possible outcomes. "We step up our own game," she said finally. "We improve our image among the people. Naturally we can't act aggressively towards the Chevalier. In fact, we need to do the opposite. We coddle the people. We become the perfect allies. But we also need to keep an air of danger to ourselves. That's your department, SPARTAN."

"Ma'am?" Jeremy wasn't quite sure what the Admiral had in mind, but he doubted he'd like it.

"I want you and your SPARTANs to up the ante. Wherever you find yourselves in the public eye, I want you to show off. Be the ultimate badasses they think you are. Don't be obvious about it, of course, but make sure no one forgets just who the deadliest beings on this planet really are." She paused for a moment then added an afterthought. "Try to get the message to Corporal Kinkaid as well."

"You want him to show off to the Genetics students and staff? I don't think he'll mind, especially with what I understand about how the Pandora system works.. but wouldn't that run the risk of compromising our position within the Academy?"

"No. I have something in mind for Corporal Kinkaid. I want him to show off in a different way. You SPARTANs are the perfect image of hyperlethal efficiency. You're the perfect warriors. But Kinkaid is an ODST. I want him to live up to the image we already have of the Helljumpers. I want him to be lethal and creative. Unorthodox yet effective. I'm sure he can handle that job. And if he can mix a little bit of crazy in there then all the better." Her eyes narrowed, watching the replay of Gabriel going berserk in the middle of the battle. "I want to make him an icon to these people."

Jeremy-049 shook his head, eyes dubious behind his faceplate. "I don't follow," he said.

"Think about it, SPARTAN. He's young but he's an incredibly deadly warrior. He's taken on Pandoras and Nova alike. He's survived the Human-Covenant War. He's taken down two Nova on his own so far. We make him a maverick and show the world a whole new side of him. He's already proven himself open to thinking outside the box, now we just encourage that way of thinking."

"Won't that put him at greater risk?"

"Yes, but it'll pay off if he's half as good as I think he is. If he can maintain a balance between crazy and tactical, the rest will fall right into place." Hartman looked up from the holotable. "As long as he doesn't come off as too.. theatrical.. he'll win the hearts of their Pandora forces as well as the general population. It's all about image, SPARTAN." She pointed at the armored warrior. "You and your SPARTANs are the image of our military might. Well, that and this ship. You're deadly, effective, and absolute." She gestured at the holotable. "Our Marines are the image of our hearts. Our great love and compassion is embodied by the men and women who stand firm in the face of all adversity. They show a fierce visage to our foes and a caring, gentle touch to those they protect."

"So what's Kinkaid?" Jeremy asked.

"He's our courage. Just look at him. He's overcome so much in his life. The Covenant, the Nova, his military training... He's been through more in his short time than most people experience in a lifetime, and yet he carries on."

"So he's a tragic hero?"

"Maybe, but that's not very attractive. No, Kinkaid is the type who becomes stronger with adversity. He's an overcomer, a warrior who will face down any obstacle that stands between him and his goal. His adaptability and fearlessness in the face of the enemy are the reasons he will never be overcome. Or at least.." The Admiral smirked. ".. that's what we want them to think."

Jeremy nodded, studying the frozen icon that represented Gabriel Kinkaid on the paused holotable. An icon... "Is the kid really cut out for it?" he asked.

"I believe so," Hartman replied. "Especially with that Pandora backing him up. She may be one of theirs, but she's also loyal to Kinkaid. We can use her affections towards him to our advantage."

Jeremy didn't speak further. He didn't like this plan, not one bit. But he could see the merit in it if it were to succeed. The responsibility fell upon himself, his SPARTANs, and one ODST.

'De-ja-vu,' the SPARTAN thought.

**West Genetics Academy, fourth-year girls dorm, room 343, 0633...**

Alexis woke to the sound of her phone buzzing away nearby. At first she didn't answer it, trying to ignore the sound of the phone and fall back asleep. She was still lying beside her partner... well, half on top of him to be exact. The ODSTs chest rose and fell slowly as he slept. The peacefulness of the situation made Alexis want to fall back asleep again, but that annoying buzzing prevented her from doing so. Eventually she gave up and rolled off of Gabriel, reaching over and picking up her phone.

"Hello?" the Pandora said into the device as she slid her feet into her slippers. She stepped into the bathroom and closed the door so she could talk without disturbing the sleeping soldier.

Gabe awoke a few minutes later as Alexis was coming out of the bathroom, looking upset. "What's on your mind?" he asked sleepily.

Alexis shook her head then climbed back into bed, laying her back phone on the nightstand as she did so. "It's nothing," she said quietly, snuggling up to him once again.

"Sure didn't look like nothing to me," Gabe said persistently.

"Don't worry about it." Before she could think it through she found herself speaking. "Instead, worry about the fact that we haven't properly bonded yet!"

Gabe felt himself getting a little angry at that statement. "I'm still waiting for you to tell me what you want from me!"

Alexis's face reddened at this point as she realized what she'd said and the position her words had put her in. "I... well..." She shook her head and climbed back out of bed, walking to the bathroom again. "If you can't figure it out then there's no point telling you!" she said angrily as she shut the door behind her. "Get dressed. I want breakfast."

Gabe stared after her, utterly bewildered by her behavior. He made a mental note to ask Charlotte about bonding between Pandoras and Limiters.. assuming Charlotte was still alive, that was. He felt himself growing a little worried about the others. How many of his new friends had been lost in the fighting?

The ODST stood finally, stripping off his off-duty clothes. Right as he was pulling off his pants the bathroom door opened and Alexis came out. The Pandoras mouth was open in what seemed to be more grilling, but her face turned even redder at the sight of the next-to-naked Gabe and she darted back into the bathroom with a small squeaking noise. Gabe shook his head and returned to putting on his armor. Once he was suited up he knocked on the door of the bathroom, calling out to Alexis and telling her he was ready.

Alexis exited the bathroom cautiously, as if expecting to see him fully naked this time. Once she was sure it was safe they left the room and walked down the hallway towards the stairs.

"Man, you would not make it in the UNSC," Gabe commented. "You know we go into cryo-stasis naked, right? If you can't even handle me in my underwear, how the hell would you deal with an entire platoon of naked guys?" This earned him a shove from the Pandora.

As the pair exited the dorm building they found a SPARTAN waiting for them. Tess-102 was still clad in her armor, looking as dangerous and imposing as ever in the early morning light.

"Corporal Kinkaid, I need to speak with you in private," the SPARTAN said.

Gabe looked at Alexis. "Go on ahead, I'll catch up." His attention went back to Tess, who led him off to a little-used path well away from prying ears before turning to speak to him.

"Helmet radio only," she said. "Low gain."

Gabe turned on his helmets comm rig, tuning down the power so that his transmission wouldn't reach any further than the SPARTAN. "Ready," he said quietly.

"Orders from the admiral, Corporal." Anyone who might've tried to listen in would've heard nothing from the SPARTAN, but Gabe caught her radio transmission perfectly. "We're to begin OPERATION NORTH STAR. Operation details are as follows: UNSC forces designated Units A and B will engage in psychological warfare against dissident factions within the Chevalier. All UNSC forces are involved. Unit A will be comprised of SPARTAN Pink Team. The SPARTANs will demonstrate extreme precision, effectiveness, and our hyperlethal nature. Unit B will consist of yourself, Corporal. You will demonstrate your adaptability in combat and non-combat situations. You are no longer fully bound by protocol, although you are expected to uphold the honor and security of the United Earth Government and the UNSC. You will do whatever you feel is needed to complete objectives in your path without putting UNSC or Chevalier forces or civilians at risk. Are those orders clear?"

"No ma'am," Gabe said. "What do you mean, no longer bound by protocol?" His voice was quiet, but unlike the SPARTAN and her MJOLNIR suit his voice could be heard outside his armor.

"Put simply, Kinkaid, you are to show off. Be unorthodox. Be lethal. Get the job done with as few casualties as possible, but in doing so be as... creative.. as needed. The Admiral wants the Chevalier citizens to see you as a maverick. She wants your name on every tongue and in every mind. This will buy us enough time to analyze the attack against the Ace of Spades and implement counter-operations. Make the people fall in love with you and the UNSC, Corporal. Do you understand?"

Gabe nodded. "Yes ma'am. Publicity. Am I right?"

"Yes. Draw attention without drawing attention." Tess turned away and began walking off. "And if you keep up your relationship with your Pandora companion, it will go a long way towards winning the hearts and minds of the populace. Civilians love gushy romance stories." The SPARTAN continued on her way, leaving Gabe to contemplate his new orders.

Gabe wandered towards the cafeteria, thinking hard. If the UNSC were attempting to counter whatever insurrection was brewing, then it meant that they felt that the Chevalier were inadequate in managing their own people. And if he and the SPARTANs were being told to win the hearts of the people, then that meant that the UNSC wanted to gain sympathy. Which in turn meant that Admiral Hartman saw the Chevalier as a possible threat. A massive threat, even.

The ODST rubbed his head. It was too early for politics.

He eventually made his way into the cafeteria and found it crowded. Many of the UNSC forces had returned to the Ace of Spades, but there were still enough hanging around to make the cafeteria quite full and noisy. Gabe stuck to the edge of the room, making his way towards a familiar head of white hair and carrying his helmet under his arm. To his great surprise, Alexis and the others were sitting with a SPARTAN-II. This one was another woman, one with short red hair and a long scar across her cheek. Like the other SPARTANs she had extremely pale skin and neon-blue eyes. The skin came from wearing that armor all the time while the eyes were probably a result of whatever augmentations the SPARTANs underwent. Whatever it was it made for a rather strange picture, especially given the sheer might of the SPARTAN-IIs.

As Gabe approached Charlotte stood up and ran around the table, shoving her way in between two Marines in order to reach him. Gabe greeted the girl with a smile, only to have her fist connect with his face.

"Hell was that for?" he asked angrily.

"For getting yourself hurt and making Alexis worry about you, you dunce!" Charlotte sounded beside herself with anger. "Not to mention worrying the rest of us! Do you realize, when you didn't show up after the fight.." She went into a lecture that Gabe began to ignore. Instead he looked towards Ivan, who had come around the other side of the table.

"Good to see you, man," the ODST said to the Limiter.

"Likewise," Ivan replied. "I heard you met one of the Legendary Pandoras. What was she like?" At this even Charlotte stopped talking. Everyone at the table besides the SPARTAN began listening to him.

"Nuttier than squirrel shit," Gabe said off-handedly, sitting down next to Alexis. "She was all... bouncy and perky and happy and shit. Kinda came off like a little kid at the park or something."

"Man, that is weird." Ivan and Charlotte returned to their seats, Ivan continuing his conversation with Gabe as he went. "Your friend here was just telling me about the one the SPARTANs met."

At this Gabe looked at the SPARTAN again. "Lieutenant Gale-112," the SPARTAN said by way of introduction.

"Corporal Kinkaid, 105th. What was your Legendary like?" Gabe asked.

"She didn't talk much. Or at all. But she was fast and deadly." The SPARTAN returned her attention to her plate, which was piled with a mountain of food that she was rapidly devouring. "Kinda reminded me of one of us."

"A Pandora that's like a SPARTAN?" Gabe said indignantly. "What the hell?! Why'd you get some cool badass when we got stuck with Bubbly the Hammer Cheerleader?"

"Maybe the Legendary Pandoras sought out groups that were similar to themselves?" It took Gabe a moment to realize that the SPARTAN had just insulted him, and even then he couldn't be one-hundred-percent sure that was the case.

Alexis stood and left, saying something about using the restroom. Charlotte moved to go with her but Gabe caught her arm. "I need to ask you something," he muttered. He waited until Alexis was gone then leaned as close to Charlotte and Ivan as the table would allow. The SPARTAN just ignored him. "So.. question. How did you two bond after you did that whole baptism thing?"

At this, Charlotte punched him again.

"Seriously, what the hell?" he asked angrily. "Have you been talking to van Houten again or something?"

Charlotte made a disgusted noise. "You can't just ask about people's love lives so casually! You Marines are totally uncivilized, I swear!"

"Love lives?" Gabe was utterly confused by this point. "What the hell does that have to do with Alexis being mad because we haven't 'properly bonded?'" He said those last two words in a mocking impersonation of the white-haired Pandora.

At this the pair shot each other a shocked glance. "Wait... are you saying... you've spent the night in her room twice now and haven't... done anything?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Gabe was getting angry again.

"Well... when a Limiter is chosen by a Pandora he's eventually invited to her room. At that point they perform the Baptism, and they also... you know..."

"No, I don't know! That's the problem!"

"They bond, Gabe! How do you expect a man and woman to spend a night bonding?"

Realization hit Gabe like a runaway Warthog. "Wait... you mean..."

Charlotte nodded. "That kind of... interaction.. strengthens the bond between Pandora and Limiter. A pair that has.. 'enjoyed each other's pleasures' will have an Ereinbar Set that's exponentially stronger than a pair that hasn't."

Gabe shook his head. "So all this time, she's been wanting me to..."

Another nod, this time from Ivan. "That's why she get so mad. Plus.. we Limiters are usually younger than the Pandoras we pair up with, so they see it as their job to take care of us and make sure our needs are taken care of. All of our needs. So when you're being all clueless, it probably makes her think you don't need her, in that way or any other."

Gabe rolled his eyes. "Man... what the hell did I get myself into..."

'Thank God for a catalytic thyroid implant,' the SPARTAN witnessing this thought to herself. 'I can't imagine how a military force where sex is required for combat ability could have survived this long.'

"So what do I do? I can't just.. you know.. 'get it on' on a whim."

"Well, try something romantic! Although normally a Pandora prepares for a room visit by setting the atmosphere so-to-speak." Charlotte was thoughtful for a bit. "Hasn't she tried to.. arouse you?"

Gabe shook his head at first, then recalled something he hadn't really paid much attention to until now. "Well.. the dress she was wearing that first night was beautiful. And I guess it showed off her figure pretty well."

"See? She was trying to do things the right way, then you went and screwed it all up!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize having alien stigmata rip through my skin was my fault." Her attitude had angered Gabe yet again. "Listen, if you can't help me then just say so. I'll.. I dunno. I'll go ask Sarge or something."

Ivan laughed at that idea. "Ask your ODST sergeant? That guy seems like he'd be bass-ackwards when it comes to women." He looked at Charlotte then back to Gabe. "Listen, here's what you do. Take her out somewhere, alright? Have a nice date to start things off. Then let things get crazy. Go run from the cops or something. Something to get her heart pounding. Then take her somewhere safe, preferably back to her room. When you get her there just be all cool and sexy-like."

"Dude, I've only ever had one girlfriend and we'd known each other since we were kids. I highly doubt the same things that worked on her will work on Alexis. Hell, I'm still not even sure what worked on her! I just... kinda let instinct take over when we'd get all frisky."

Charlotte glared at him suspiciously. "Have you actually even lost your vir.."

"Yes, I have!" Gabe cut her off quickly. "Vanessa and I did.. that.. quite a few times. But like I said, I don't know what'll work on Alexis."

"Just be cool, Gabe." Ivan was fighting not to laugh at his friends indignation. "It's not that hard. Just... just pull her close, look deep into her eyes, and tell her how beautiful she is. Tell her your heart is crying out for her, tell her you need her more than you need air to breathe. Tell her you can't live one more moment without proving your love to her." Gabe and Charlotte both stared at Ivan at this point, and even the SPARTAN took a slight interest over her plate. "What?" Ivan said defensively. "I watched a lot of romance movies before my first room visit with Charlotte."

"I thought I recognized some of those lines," Charlotte said in an annoyed voice. "You're lucky I like dorky guys."

Ivan didn't miss a beat. "See? Charlotte loves dorks and I'm a total dork. She can't keep her hands off me because I'm exactly what she wants. You just have to be what your girl wants. Once you get her excited the atmosphere will pretty much set itself, and then you'll have no problem 'bonding' with her."

Gabe let his head fall on the table at that point. "I think I'd rather go back through ODST training," he grumbled.

**Chevalier Grand Canyon HQ...**

Once again, a number of high-ranking Chevalier officials sat in a darkened room watching video feeds. These feeds showed the battle at West Genetics and the resulting news reports in favor of the UNSC.

"This complicates things," one of the men said. "Not only do we have Gengo Aoi moving independent of us, but now the people are sympathizing with the UNSC."

"It's hard not to sympathize with a group who have laid down their lives for you," another man mused.

"The problem is that our objectives have not be achieved. In fact, retrieving what we want from that ship will be impossible now."

"No," said a man towards the center of the group. "No, the UNSC have given us a perfect opportunity to seize what we need. We will send a single agent to the Ace of Spades, hidden among the Pandora wishing to attend the memorial services being held for the fallen UNSC soldiers. This agent will slip away during the service and obtain the things we need."

"How will your agent pull this off?" the first man asked. "I mean, a data tap is one thing. But the device we need... the UNSC won't just let us walk out the front door with it!"

"Of course not. No.. the UNSC will ship the device for us." These words drew the attention of every man in the room.

"I don't understand."

"Don't worry, you don't need to understand. What matters is that I do, and I already have plans in motion to obtain both the data and the device."

"What about Gengo Aoi?"

"That is taken care of as well," another man said. "I've seen to it that a certain... contact.. of mine will put another plan it motion. It won't be long before Doctor Aoi is nothing but a nasty memory."

"I hope you're right," the first man said. "Otherwise we'll be in a world of hurt."

**UNSC Ace of Spades, Bridge...**

Admiral Hartman was re-watching the battle on the holotable yet again. Jeremy-049 had left the room hours ago but now stood beside the Admiral once more. "You wanted to see me, ma'am?"

"Yes, SPARTAN." Hartman pointed at one of the icons on the holotable. "These units here were at the center of the operation, were they not?"

"Yes ma'am. The new Valkyrie units. Pandoras utilizing liquefied stigmata to give themselves fighting ability for a short time with little to no after-effects."

"This is something we haven't encountered before," Hartman said. "What do you make of them?"

"At first glance they're pretty average. Their combat ability rivals if not exceeds the Pandoras, but it's still the same principals. They're only a threat to normal Marines... although not as much a threat as normal Pandoras."

"Explain."

Jeremy pointed towards another icon, one of the Faylan generators. "These devices here were powering the Nova dummies as well as the Valkyries. From what I understand, their combat ability is significantly diminished when they're out of range of one of those generators. At that point they have to rely on the liquefied stigmata, which they only carry so much. It's like having to reload your soldier as well as your weapon."

"I see. What can you tell me about those generators?"

"Not much." He recalled seeing one in the battlefield as the SPARTANs had fought alongside the Legendary Pandora apparently named Teslad. "They're broadcast power stations, much like the power supplies for the old MJOLNIR MkI suits. They're too large to be a mobile unit. I'm almost certain that they're immobile."

"So Valkyries would be best for local defense," Hartman said thoughtfully. "What about the Legendary Pandoras?"

Jeremy watched the holotable for a moment. "They're incredible," he said quietly. "Teslad took down more hostiles than my entire team combined. She was faster than us, stronger than us, and deadlier than us."

"Could your team defeat a Legendary Pandora?"

"I'm not sure. I saw one take a hit that would've punched straight through the armor on this ship and come away without a scratch."

"You're talking about the the hammer-user, the one called Windy May?"

"Yes ma'am." He shook his head, still trying to figure out how she'd been able to take such an attack. "Honestly, I don't like our odds against those units. Not unless we utilize FURY nukes or MAC rounds or something drastic, and even then I can't promise it'd work on them."

Hartman was quiet for some time after that. "Very well," she said finally. "You're dismissed."

Jeremy-049 saluted and left, thinking about the Legendary Pandora he'd fought alongside. Teslad was her name... Despite his SPARTAN training and conditioning he found himself intrigued by the woman. He knew of one SPARTAN that had retired and gotten married...

"The hell am I thinking?" Jeremy asked himself out loud before making his way to the training deck.

(A/N: What do you think, folks? Should our SPARTAN leader develop a crush on my personal favorite of the Legendary Pandoras? They are a lot alike, after all. They don't talk much, they're badass as HELL, they're lab rats, they've been warriors since they were children, and they're both about as socially acceptable as a Christian in a mosque.)

**West Genetics Academy, courtyard, 1220...**

Gabe and Alexis walked side-by-side, enjoying their day off. Or rather, trying to enjoy it. Alexis had gone to the headmistress's office earlier and come out looking more upset than ever. Now as the pair walked her face was shadowed by whatever was on her mind.

"Alright, that's it," Gabe said suddenly. He stepped in front of Alexis and caught her by the shoulders, looking the Pandora in the eyes. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," she said as she averted her eyes.

"Bullshit." Alexis could tell that Gabe wasn't going to give this up. She gave a sigh and shook her head.

"It's nothing really. I just.. found out this morning that my twin sister is in town today."

"I didn't know you had a sister," Gabe said. "Is she a Pandora too?"

Alexis shook her head. "No... she and I were both born sick. I pulled through fine, but she was always weak and frail. No matter what the doctors tried she just couldn't recover from what the illness did to her. She was really happy for me when I was selected to be a Pandora. That's why I fight so hard: I want to be the amazing sister she sees me as. She looks up to me and I don't ever want to let her down."

"So she's in town now.. are your parents here too?"

Alexis shook her head. "Our mother died in childbirth. Our father was killed in a car accident two years ago. She's here with our godfather, Joel. He's a professor but every once in a while he has to travel for conferences and whatnot so he brings Alana along."

"So... your sister is in town. And with the Academy under lockdown you can't go and visit her. Is that what's bothering you?" Gabe asked. To this, Alexis nodded. Gabe was quiet for a bit as the pair continued walking. His mind raced with options. This could work in his favor. He could make Alexis happy, look badass for the locals, and possibly set the mood for some bonding when they returned. A smile began to form on his lips as the ODST pulled on his helmet and grabbed Alexis by the hand. "Come on," he said. "I've got a plan."

Alexis followed him, asking what he had in mind but getting no response until they reached a large open area where the UNSC had set up a motorpool. A few Marines were guarding the various Warthogs, Scorpion tanks, and the pair of large Rhino tanks that hadn't been picked up by the Pelican teams yet.

"You want to see your sister, right?" Gabe asked her.

"Well, yes, but I don't see..."

"Well then let's go see her!" He set off towards one of the Marines, a soldier whose IFF tag showed up on Gabes HUD as Private Jack DeWitt. "Oi, Private!" Gabe called out to the man while trying to avoid the attention of the other soldiers.

"This area is off-limits, trooper," the private said. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Actually, I have orders from up top. I need to requisition a Warthog."

The private eyed Gabe and Alexis suspiciously. "I'll need to clear it with TACCOM..."

"Nah, you don't," Gabe said as he got closer to the man. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a fistful of local money. "Why don't you take a look at my.." he coughed. ".. clearance?"

The Private looked around then took the bills and stuffed them in his armor. "Listen, the keys are in the back of that tent over there. Just don't get me caught, trooper." Gabe thanked the man then snuck off with Alexis. The pair crept around the back of the long olive-drab tent in question. Gabe was able to cut the canvas with his combat knife and reach into the tent. It took a moment but his hand came back with a set of keys marked WM157. Together the Pandora and ODST crept back through the parked Warthogs, checking vehicle numbers until they found the right one. Gabe climbed into the driver's seat while Alexis took the passenger side.

The sound of the Warthog starting caused all of the Marines to turn and begin yelling at them to halt. Gabe hit the accelerator and sent the all-terrain vehicle forward, past the Marines and towards the main gate. A barricade had been set up at the gate, where more Marines were waiting for them. Gabe aimed the Warthog at a nearby pile of crates, praying his maneuver worked. The 'Hog hit the crates and bounced into the air, doing a barrel roll over the shocked Marines and landing on its wheels outside on the road. The Marines simply stared in awe as the stolen Warthog screamed off into the afternoon, heading for the city.

"We are going to be in so much trouble," Alexis moaned as they hit the highway leading back to the city.

"It'll be fine," Gabe said "Just tell me where I'm driving so we can meet your sister."

Alexis rattled off the address, staring at Gabe as he drove. She wasn't sure if she was disgusted by what he'd just done, impressed by the way he handled the speeding vehicle, or touched that he'd put so much at risk just so she could see her sister.

".. Delta-two-one inbound. I have eyes on the stolen vehicle, moving to intercept, over." Gabe turned up the radio to hear the chatter between his comrades.

"Negative Delta-two-one. Pull back and resume cargo operations." That voice was one both occupants of the stolen Warthog recognized: Admiral Lucia Hartman. "The occupants are acting under my direct orders. Do not interfere."

"R-roger that, ma'am! Delta-two-one going on-station. Over and out." Gabe gave Alexis a grin at that point.

"Tolja it'd be fine."

The stolen Warthog raced through the city streets, its triple-barreled minigun turret bouncing a little on its mountings. Gabe handled the vehicle perfectly, weaving through traffic that was moving at a quarter of the speed they were. At first Alexis was scared out of her mind, but once she learned to trust Gabes driving she realized that she was having fun at the same time. It was like an intense roller coaster ride.

In only about half an hour they reached their destination: a large expensive-looking hotel near the port. Gabe parked the Warthog right in front of the building and took the keys with him. Together he and Alexis entered the building. One of the attendants came to greet them but backed off when Gabe waved her away. Apparently his beaten-up ODST armor made her think twice about stopping him.

Soon they found themselves on the seventh floor, outside room 709. Alexis knocked on the door then stepped back, looking a bit nervous. Footsteps could be heard inside, then the lock slid open and the door opened. A young man in his late twenties with thick hair and round glasses poked his head out.

"Can I help..." His blue eyes fell on Alexis and his face split into a smile. "Alexis! I didn't think you'd make it!" He stood back and opened the door further. "Come in, both of you!" Alexis nodded and stepped inside, Gabe following her.

"It's good to see you again Joel," she said as he closed and locked the door again. The man finished with the door then turned and gave her a tight hug.

"It's good to see you too!" he said happily. His eyes went to Gabe, who quickly took off his helmet and stowed it under his arm. "And who might this be?"

"This is Corporal Gabriel Kinkaid of the United Nations Space Command Marine Corps," Alexis said with a tiny bit of pride in her voice. "He's my partner."

The professors eyes went to Alexis again for a moment. At the sight of her smile the man looked back at Gabe, and instead of taking the ODSTs hand to shake he wrapped Gabe in a bearhug. "Thank you for taking care of my goddaughter," he said.

Gabes shock must have shown on his face because Alexis burst into laughter. "Come on, Joel, you're scaring him!" She pulled Joel away from Gabe before speaking again. "Gabriel, this is Professor Joel Walker, my godfather."

"It's a pleasure," Gabe said in a slightly shaky voice.

At that moment another person entered the room from the attached kitchen, an apron tied around her slim waist. At first glance she looked like a shorter version of Alexis. But where Alexis's figure was toned yet womanly all at once, Alana was just.. skinny. Her hair was much shorter too even though she wore it in the same braid that Alexis did.

At the sight of her sister Alexis burst into tears, rushing to the girl and hugging her tightly. Gabe watched, smiling at the heartwarming scene as the two sisters embraced each other. Eventually they broke apart and Alexis turned around, wiping tears from her eyes. "Alana, this is my partner, Gabriel. Gabriel, this is my sister Alana."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Alana," Gabe said with his hand outstretched. Alana took his hand in both of hers. The fingerless ODST gloves he wore made her skin seem even more pale than it had at first.

"The pleasure is mine, Mister Gabriel." Her sapphire-like eyes, so very much like Alexis's, gazed up at him with a mix of gratitude and admiration. "Thank you for partnering with Alexis. I'm happy to see that she's found an excellent partner."

At this Gabe chuckled. "Nah, she's the excellent one. I'm just the guy that gets himself blown up at every opportunity."

Alana laughed as well. "I heard about that. I personally think it was very brave of you to attack the enemy with nothing but a grenade and a knife." Gabe felt his cheeks reddening, something which both sisters giggled about. "Come, I was just making some lunch. Joel's conference ran late so he just got back, and I wanted to wait for him before I ate." She looked back at Gabe. "Do you like fish, Mister Kinkaid?"

"I like anything that doesn't taste like an MRE."

**UNSC Ace of Spades, bridge...**

"What do you mean, whispers?" Hartman's voice cut through the tension on the ships bridge like a knife.

"Just what I said. I'm detecting anomalies similar to Slipspace whispers near the city." The radar officer looked up from his screen at the Admiral, his eyes wide. "Ma'am, your orders?"

"Keep monitoring," Hartman replied. Despite her cool demeanor she was secretly worried. 'Whispers' was a technical term referring to subspace anomalies that indicated.. well, any number of things. All manner of object found their way into Slipspace: ships, satellites, comets, even the occasional planetoid. To this day nobody could figure out how the hell something that big gathered enough speed to enter Slipspace, but it happened alright. Whispers were usually only detectable if something big was moving through, such as a ship.

The problem with that was that there were no ships with Slipspace capabilities in this universe. Or at least, not that they'd found. It was far too early for the Covenant to find Humanity, too early for humans to have discovered faster-than-light travel even. There was just no way...

Was it Nova? Surely the creatures had some sort of inter-dimensional travel that let them attack Earth as well as, in one case, teleport from one point on Earth to another. Of course, they hadn't detected any whispers during the last two Nova clashes, but that didn't mean it wasn't possible.

Lucia Hartman watched the city below through the ships forward viewports, praying that the readings were just a sensor malfunction.

**Chevalier Genetics City, 1801...**

(A/N: At one point in the manga (during the Valkyrie Introduction Arc) they mention a residential area. Based on this and other info from the manga and it's spinoffs, I assumed there's a small city built near the West Genetics academy. This also sets me up for what comes next, so don't shoot me! Although feedback on the concept is appreciated, especially when it comes to a name for the place)

It was already six in the evening when Alexis and Gabe finally left the hotel. Alexis hadn't wanted to leave, but they knew they would have to get back to the Academy and face the punishment for their crimes. Personally, Gabe was hoping what Admiral Hartman had told the Pelican crew from before was still in effect.

The two were quiet as Gabe drove their stolen Warthog through the streets, moving with traffic rather than racing through it like a madman. Alexis fiddled with her uniform, trying to form the words needed to say what was on her mind.

"Gabriel," she finally said. "Thank you so much for today."

Gabe smiled as he pulled the Warthog onto one of the main streets of the city. "No problem," he said lightly. "I'm just glad you got to see them. I still can't believe how good a cook your sister is! And your godfather is... well, he's way too smart and I can't keep up with half the things he rambles on about, but I like the guy anyway."

Alexis was positively glowing at this point. "I'm glad you liked them." Her smile faded a little, a hint of sadness creeping into her expression. "Now you get why I'm a Pandora," she said softly.

"Yeah," Gabe said. "But that's also why I'm a soldier. I may not have a family anymore, or anyone in particular I want to protect, but I want to make sure that people like you who have loved ones never have to lose those people they care about."

At his words Alexis looked up, about to comment on how similar the two of them were. Before the words left her mouth, however, the sound of engines filled the air around them. The Pandora and ODST both looked up just in time to see a flight of Longsword fighters pass overhead. Gabes eyes narrowed as he watched the fighters and Alexis could tell that he was disturbed by the sight.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"That wasn't one of our patrols," Gabe muttered. "Not only that, those boys were flying way too low and way too fast. They're after something."

"Maybe it's a combat exercise?" Alexis offered. "You know, live-fire drills or something?"

"I don't know, maybe." Gabe flipped the Warthogs radio back on to hear an incredible amount of nothing. He fiddled with the controls but got nothing. Even his helmet radio had cut out. "I think we're being jammed," he said.

"By who?" Alexis asked. "The Chevalier wouldn't attack the UNSC, it'd cause a worldwide riot. And the terrorists wouldn't dare try something now that the entire world is on the UNSCs side."

"I don't know," Gabe said again. He had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. Once again, things were going to get bad. He could feel it like a dark, oppresive cloud on the edge of his mind.

More Longswords zoomed overhead, followed by a wedge-shaped formation of Pelicans. As the Warthog passed an intersection Gabe got a better look at the Ace of Spades. What he saw made his blood run cold. The mighty ship had turned and left it's position over the Academy and was now moving over the city. Squads of Longswords and what looked like every Pelican the ship had were moving about. There was no mistaking it: the UNSC had detected a threat and was moving to counter.

"What could they be attacking?" Alexis wondered aloud. "Could there be a Nova attack?" She looked around. "I don't hear the sirens or see any warning signs around," she said.

Gabe didn't answer. Instead he yanked hard on the steering wheel, pulling the Warthog in a one-eighty and into the other lane. He hit the accelerator then, charging through traffic back the way they'd came.

In the distance he was beginning to hear sounds he knew. Gunfire, screams, explosions. It was all painting a horrible picture in his mind of what might be happening. However, what he saw when they passed over the freeway was a thousand times worse than what he'd imagined.

Alexis stared at Gabe as the Warthog came to a halt on the overpass. Gabe's eyes, behind his unpolarized faceplate, were wide in terror. The Pandora followed his gaze upward over her own head and down the freeway. It wasn't hard to miss what was scaring the ODST so bad.

Off in the distance, a single shape was hanging in the sky above the city. Its texture was similar to that of a Nova, only she'd never seen a purple Nova before. Nor had she seen one shaped like that. It was long, roughly two-thirds the length of the Ace of Spades. It consisted of a wide, flat body in the shape of a teardrop, a smaller tail shaped like a shovel over some bright blue points of light, and a long, rounded head with four fang-like projections from the bottom. Fires blazed along the objects body and several large chunks were missing from its hull. As she watched, lances of blue and purple light erupted from the object, some missing and others turning the attacking Longswords into flaming wreckage. She turned back to Gabe, her eyes wide in shock.

"What is that thing?" she asked.

"That's a CCS-class battlecruiser," Gabe said in a voice that shook with unbridled terror. "It... it's the fucking Covenant!"


	13. Chapter 13

(A/N: Oops, meant to answer that question from before! Well, I chose to use the UNSC from the events of Halo 1 (albeit with Halo 3 era gear (besides the SPARTANs, of course, they've still got MkV suits)) for several reasons. First off, I didn't particularly like Halo 4. As far as I'm concerned, Halo means Bungie's idea of Halo, not 343 Industries. They lost that gritty, backs-to-the-wall feeling that gave every action in the original games such urgency and made it all just so damn good! Plus, as you said, a pre-Ark UNSC would be easier for the denizens of the Freezing universe to relate to. And finally, it sets me up for what I plan to do with the fanfic in the future.)

**West Genetics Academy, Training Room, 1400**

Jeremy-049 found himself heading for the training room, having been returned to the school not long after his conversation with the Admiral. He'd briefly conferred with his SPARTANs then wandered off on his own to try and keep busy until new orders came through from up top. Now, one of the schools training facilities seemed the perfect place for a SPARTAN such as himself.

As he entered the room he noticed that there was already an occupant. A familiar woman with strange eyes and dark hair stood in the middle of the room, having just cleared the simulation. Jeremy stopped, his hand halfway through the motions of putting his helmet on. For a moment SPARTAN-II and Legendary Pandora stared at each other, neither one moving.

After a few seconds of this Mexican standoff, the Pandora stepped closer to Jeremy. He noticed that she still had her Volt Weapons active and immediately tensed beneath the shell of green and black he wore. Teslad's path took her around the SPARTAN. With slow steps she circled the other warrior, her eyes taking in every detail of the MJOLNIR Mk V suit he wore. His own neon-blue orbs tracked her movements, waiting for the slightest hostile gesture.

After about the third trip around the SPARTAN Teslad came to a halt, studying his face. For another moment the two simply stared at eachother, then the Pandora reached out with one hand. Jeremy tensed even further and was almost about to grab her arm, but she simply poked the tip of his nose then let her hand fall away. Jeremy blinked, confused by what had just happened. The Pandora certainly wasn't going to explain it to him, either. The woman just stood there, watching him silently.

Shaking his head, Jeremy slipped his helmet on and twisted it, locking it into place. He pulled his MA5C off of his back and pulled back the bolt, cycling a fresh round into the chamber. Again, the Pandora did nothing but watch.

"SPARTAN, are you here to train?" This came over the room's PA. Jeremys eyes went to the windows of the control booth, where his motion tracker showed a pair of contacts.

"Yeah," he said. "Mind running this thing for me?"

"No problem, Chief Petty Officer!" A second or so later the room activated, projecting a scene of a barren, war-torn city around him. He could see his target, a massive Type-S Nova, floating overhead.

"Mark.." he whispered...

It didn't take him long to drop the Nova. His rifle didn't do much besides get the creatures attention but his armored fists were more than satisfactory for breaking through the Novas chest armor. Once he'd made enough of a space he slipped a grenade into the opening and jumped off, adding a double-backflip just to show off. He landed just as the grenade detonated. The blast couldn't break the Novas armor and so it was reflected back into the core, doing even more damage. It was the same principal a certain UNSC captain had used on a Covenant ship during the battle of Reach, which was still fresh in everyone's minds.

"Wow SPARTAN, that was quick! Ninety-one seconds!" The girls in the control booth were both in awe at the speed and effectiveness of the supersoldier. They'd only seen one Pandora with skills rivaling that and she'd nearly died at the beginning of that school year during a battle with the Nova.

"Reset the simulation," Jeremy said.

As the Nova and the broken city materialized around them again Jeremy prepared to strike.. but was beaten to the punch. A flash of black and white shot past him, impacting the Novas chest and blowing the core clear of the body. Teslad hit the ground, steadied herself, then began walking towards Jeremy with that same expressionless face, although Jeremy could've sworn there was a hint of pride in those eyes. He felt himself getting excited.

"Alright, so you want to play that game, huh?" His faceplate found the control booth again. "Reset the simulation again!" he barked.

Time and time again the two fought the simulation, and time and time again the result was the same. No matter how hard Jeremy fought or what he tried, he just couldn't best the Legendary Pandora. After she'd beaten his time nine times in a row he stopped, glaring at the woman from behind his helmet.

"Alright, fine. I can see I still need practice... and I'm seeing a perfect sparring partner in front of me," he growled. "Why don't you put those toys away and give me a real challenge?"

As usual Teslad didn't answer. She simply stared at the SPARTAN as he hooked his rifle to his back. After a moment her Volt Weapons and barriers vanished. She started towards Jeremy, watching him. As she got close the SPARTAN struck, aiming a straight right at her face with enough force to break through the plating of a starship. The blow would have been impossible for any normal human or even a normal Pandora to dodge. Thus Jeremy found himself shocked when Teslad simply moved her head to the side. Her hand came up and tapped his arm, causing his shields to flare at the touch. The SPARTAN struck again, this time bringing his left first up in an uppercut to her stomach. This time the Pandora sidestepped his blow, once more displaying speed and reaction times that should've been impossible for her.

Feeling a touch of anger at the fact that she seemed to be playing with him rather than fighting, Jeremy lit into the Pandora with a renewed assault. He let loose a flurry of fast punches aimed at her head and torso. Teslad was able to block or dodge every one, but Jeremy could tell that she was beginning to struggle. He just needed to be a little faster...

He switched up his tactics at that point, bringing his leg around at her side. The Pandora stopped his attack but just barely. Jeremy stood one-legged, his right leg delivering another storm of short, quick blows. Eventually one caught Teslad in the face, breaking her defense. At once Jeremy switched legs, standing on his right leg and bringing his left up, around, then down on top of Teslads skull. The Pandora hit the ground with enough force that she bounced back into the air. Jeremy switched legs again, his right foot connecting with her chest and sending the Pandora flying. Her body impacted on the far wall, leaving a sizable crater and sending a spiderweb of cracks through the material. Jeremy immediately ran to her side, removing his helmet and tossing it aside. The SPARTAN hit his knees and skidded the last few feet, sparking flying from his knee plating.

"Sound off, Pandora," he said as he reached her. The last thing he needed was for a Pandora to end up dead at the hands of a SPARTAN.

Teslad opened her eyes, looking up at the armored figure that had come to her aid. For a moment she just stared at him. Then she reached up and poked his nose once more before standing up and brushing herself off. Jeremy stood as well, watching the Pandora. Any one of those blows should have killed her, not to mention the impact of her body hitting the wall. And yet she was unharmed save for a few scratches and some dirt.

'What the hell is that woman made of?' he wondered.

**Shiori Tenshi District, freeway overpass, 1622...**

Alexis turned back to the ship at Gabes words, fear spreading through her own heart. "Covenant?" she whispered. She recalled the time on the rooftop when Gabe had opened up to her and told her about his own enemy, the psycho-religious alien alliance that burned human worlds to glass. Her eyes traced over the shape of the ship, watching as hundreds of dark shapes separated from the ship and made their way towards the ground.

Anger replaced the fear in her heart as she watched the Covenant attack commence. "Gabriel... are these the monsters you fought?" Her voice was barely more than a whisper but Gabe heard her perfectly. "Are these the things that killed your friends and your family and your beloved?"

Gabe nodded. "Y-yeah, they are. Might not be the same ones, but they're still Covies." He turned the wheel of the Warthog, intending to return to the Academy in order to get orders from the UNSC officers there.

"Get me close," Alexis whispered.

"Are you insane?" Gabe asked. "If we go in without support we're..."

"Just DO IT, Gabriel!" Alexis turned to Gabe at that point. There was a crazed look in her eyes. "You can run away afterward, but I'm going to fight them!" Her voice shook with anger. "You once told me that it was our duty as soldiers to stand up to humanity's enemies without fear or hesitation, lest they claim innocent lives. There's the enemy, Gabriel. I intend to live by my duty."

Gabe stared at her for a moment then nodded, a grin forming on his lips. "You're right." He hit the accelerator, sending the Warthog forward. He turned onto the freeway and drove straight towards the cruiser hanging in the sky over the city.

**Shiori Tenshi District, Police Station...**

Jeremy-049 jumped off the back of the Pelican he and his team had been riding, landing on the city street below. The first Marine forces had already arrived in this area and were setting up defenses in an attempt to contain the Covenant. More soldiers were en route from the Ace of Spades and the West Genetics Academy.

"Sir!" A Marine ran to meet him, shouting over the sounds of gunfire and explosions coming from up ahead. "Sergeant Peterson, E Company! I'll show you to the LT!" The SPARTANs moved with the Marine, weapons up and at the ready as the soldier led them into a building. They cut through a hallway on the ground floor of the structure, coming out into a lobby area where a number of Marines were engaged in a fierce shootout with approaching Covenant forces. The SPARTANs joined the Marines, adding their own weapons to the symphony of gunfire. Jeremy knelt down near Peterson, who had taken cover at the wall of the building.

"Where's your Lieutenant?" the SPARTAN asked.

In response the Marine pointed towards a cement planter box a dozen yards from the building. Two Marines were using the box for cover. One of them had a large bloody chunk blown out of his armor. The other fired his rifle over the top of the box, taking down two small figures in distance before a series of glowing blue plasma shots forced the man back into his cover. More of the smaller creatures, who had stubby limbs and wore large, pointed backpacks, waddled into the area and laid into the Marines. Their weapons spat bolts of green rather than blue, but the plasma weapons still did a considerable amount of damage when they hit.

"We can't get to him with those bastards tearing us up!" Peterson shouted. "We gotta thin 'em out!"

Jeremy came up over the wall, shields flaring as a series of plasma rounds stitched across his chest. He returned fire, cutting down three different Grunts before his rifle ran dry. He lowered down again, cursing the reduced magazine size of the MA5C. As he jacked a fresh mag into his weapon he spotted a familiar shape striding through the lobby, twin wrist-mounted blades gleaming in the dim light.

"Who the hell is that?" one of the Marines shouted from the other side of the room.

"Her name's Teslad. Don't worry, she's on our side.. I think." Jeremy watched the Legendary Pandora as she walked carelessly through the doorway of the building. She'd used her Volt Texture system to create a barrier around herself, one that was currently shrugging off plasma bolts as if they were nothing. She stood there in front of the door for a moment then simply disappeared. There came the sound of alien screams as the various Covenant warriors fell to her blades. In a flash of motion and a dance of metal she cleared out the area, leaving a dozen Grunts, two of the birdlike Jackals, and a single blue-armored Elite on the ground in bloody chunks. Her eyes studied the Elite, noting the similarities between it and the humanoid Nova forms she'd fought before.

"Hot damn," one of the Marines said quietly. "You sure know how to pick 'em SPARTAN!"

Jeremy watched Teslad for a moment before moving on to assist the Lieutenant. He hadn't really picked her, had he? She was the one following him around. As he reached the Lieutenant he pushed thoughts of the Pandora from his mind. Focus on the mission.

"A Mark Five? Hell, guess Command does give a shit." the Marine commented.

"Are you alright, soldier?"

"Yeah, but Rawlins here isn't gonna make it without a medic." The Marine looked down at his wounded comrade. Jeremy could already see a medic rushing to join them. "Looks like he'll get that help," he said. "Is there any way to get a signal to Chevalier GENCOM?"

The Lieutenant looked at the SPARTAN as if he was hearing utter insanity. "Well... I dunno. Maybe. These primates still use landline telephones. Maybe one of those still works?"

Jeremy nodded. "Thanks Marine. You and your men hold down the fort, keep our CP intact. I'll get ahold of GENCOM and get reinforcements."

"I'll take whatever I can get, but I don't see what good a bunch of local idiots are gonna do against these bastards!"

The SPARTAN stood up and made his way back towards the building. "Don't worry, I've got a plan that might save a hell of a lot of lives."

**Chevalier GENCOM Command Center...**

"He wants what?!" Comm Officer O'Brian looked up from her console, her eyes wide. "What good will individual pairs do out there?! We don't even fully understand what we're facing!"

Sister Margaret stared at the data coming in from the city. That object, that... battlecruiser.. had just appeared over the city and begun raining death upon them. From what little intel they were receiving from within the dark zone, it sounded as if the attacks were devastating the city. The UNSC had sprung into action almost immediately and managed to contain this new enemy to a small area, but the damage was still incredible. What made it worse was the fact that nobody but the UNSC seemed to know very much about this enemy.

However, that meant that if anyone would be able to tell them how best to act in this battle, it was the UNSC. Sister Margaret looked up at the comm officer. "Do as SPARTAN-049 says. Deploy Pandoras with Limiters at the co-ordinates he gave and have them use their Freezing to immobilize the enemy."

"But ma'am!" The comm officer seemed less than willing to follow the SPARTANs request.

"Think about it, Miss O'Brian. If the enemy is the Nova, then spreading a Freezing over such a wide area by placing Limiters at those locations would allow the UNSC forces to move freely and take down the enemy with ease. And if they're not Nova, as seems to be the case, then that means that they'll have no defense against a Freezing. They'll be immobilized and therefore easy to defeat."

"Understood ma'am," the comm officer said in a defeated voice. "Dispatching Pandoras and their Limiters to the battlefield."

"I hope you know what you are doing, SPARTAN," whispered Sister Margaret.

**Shiori Tenshi District, below Covenant battlecruiser..**

Sergeant Hank Davis couldn't believe this mess. The Covenant were attacking this city, the UNSC were going into battle, and now his squad was pinned. He looked around at his men. Mitch had taken a bad hit to the head and was now unconcious. The others were sporting minor cuts, scrapes, and burns but were otherwise unharmed. They'd taken cover in an abandoned warehouse, hiding from the patrols of Covenant soldiers. Unfortunatly for them, the only way in or out was through a large open lot. It'd make an excellent choke point, but it'd keep them trapped as well.

"Why the hell isn't the Ace firing, sir?" This came from Rack-Em, the young sniper.

"Probably because we're in a civilian sector. The collateral would be insane." Davis peeked through the window of the warehouse, watching the nearby Covenant. The enemy numbers were increasing, and they seemed to be taking an interest in the warehouse he and his men were hiding in. "Alright, looks like company's coming boys. Get ready for a mess."

The ODSTs spread out along the wall, each one taking a window. They wouldn't last long against that kind of assault, but there was no way they were going down without a fight either.

Outside the enemy began to move. Roughly thirty smaller aliens, Grunts with a handful of Jackals sprinkled among them, were leading the charge. There were also a half-dozen Elite Majors, recognizable by their maroon armor. And there, at the very back, was a silver-armored Elite Ultra.

"Steady," Davis muttered. "Hold fire..."

Suddenly the oncoming aliens stopped. Davis and the other ODSTs took aim but didn't fire, curious as to what had caused the assault to halt. Then, over the sounds of battle from all around, there came the familiar sound of a Warthog engine. It seemed to be coming from behind... no above the ODSTs.

Something thudded across the roof of the warehouse. A green shape came off of the roof, bullets spewing from its machine gun turret. The Warthog skidded and flattened a number of the smaller aliens. The gunner, a woman with white hair, used the Warthogs momentum to propel herself into the air. She did a flip just for style then landed gracefully in the middle of the aliens. A double-ended scythe formed in her hands and she laid into the aliens, using her high-speed Pandora techniques to rip through the enemy forces while avoiding their weapons with ease.

At the same time the driver of the Warthog, an ODST, jumped clear of the vehicle and laid into one of the nearby Elites with a battle rifle he'd fished from the back of the Warthog. The weapon spat a steady stream of lead into the nearest enemies, cutting down Jackals and Grunts and even a couple of Elites.

"Who the hell..." Rack-Em began.

"There's only one sonofabitch that crazy," Davis said proudly. "Troopers! Let's give Pinpoint some cover!" The ODSTs hesitated for a moment then made for the door. Their weapons blazed as they entered the battle, cutting down more Covenant and making things just a bit easier for the Pandora and her partner.

Gabe watched his old squad coming to his aid and smiled behind his faceplate. He didn't have time to greet them, however. An enraged Elite swung its plasma rifle in a heavy blow at Gabes head. The ODST barely ducked in time and fired up into the Elites stomach, punching through the creatures shields and blowing large holes in its stomach. The Elite fell dead just as Gabe heard a scream of anger from Alexis. He turned to look at his partner... and felt his blood run cold.

Alexis cut an Elite Major in half then used the momentum of her attack to decapitate the last of the Jackals. Her attention then went to a new enemy that was approaching: the silver-armored Elite Ultra. She didn't know much about the creature besides the fact that it seemed to be important to the others, like an officer or something. It also didn't have a ranged weapon, only a pair of metal handles on its legs that reminded her of dumbells. The Pandora brought her weapon back into a ready position and glared at the Elite, challenging it with her gaze. The Elite was more than happy to meet her challenge. It roared and took ahold of its weapons. With a hiss each weapon formed a pair of glowing blades, with a diamond shape around the handle and a pair of long points.

"Alexis! Get the hell out of there!"

She could hear Gabe yelling at her to run but she paid no mind. She was too angry to run, especially not from the source of her anger. This Elite, this Covenant warrior and all of his allies were to blame for the horrible things that her partner had been through. She wanted revenge on his behalf. She wanted to banish the things that caused him fear and sorrow, to protect her partner no matter what. And so she met the Elites charge. She brought her weapon up towards the Elites side in a blow that would have killed any human and most Pandoras.

The Elite, seeing the attack coming, brought its weapons down to block. The plasma blades cut right through Alexis's Volt Weapon and made for the Pandora herself. She barely dodged the attack but ended up falling on her backside all the same. As she stood up she felt the aliens clawed hand closing over her head. The Elite lifted her up by her head like a basketball, glaring at her as it pulled its other hand, still clutching one of its plasma swords, back for a killing strike.

"Hey split-lip!" Alexis looked to the side to see Gabe holding the aliens other sword, which it had tossed aside in order to pick Alexis up. "Pretty sad when the only thing you can fight is a little girl! Why not come over here so a REAL warrior can show you how to fight?!"

At this the alien roared again and tossed Alexis away like a rag doll. She stood up, reforming her Volt Weapon and watching in a mix of awe and horror as the Elite approached Gabe. The ODST stuffed his new prize into his pocket then brought his rifle up to fire.

"The Great Journey ends here," he said.

The Elite roared once more and charged, swinging its sword at Gabes face. The ODST opened fire and ducked to the side. The bullets simply bounced off of the Elites shields as the creature came around for a second attack. Alexis watched, feeling helpless. Gabe was barely holding his own against the alien. She had to help.. but how?

Her foot hit a metal something and she looked down to find a weapon made of some bluish material. It was shaped like a letter H with the ends bent inward and two green crystals of some sort at the end. She picked the weapon up, remembering how the aliens had held it and doing the same. She took aim at the Elite.

"Hold the trigger for three seconds!" Gabe called as he dodged another deadly blow from the Elite. Alexis did as she was told and a ball of green light formed at the end of the weapon. One.. two.. three. After three seconds she released the trigger. The ball of energy flew free of the weapon and splashed across the Elites shields, overloading them temporarily. The Elite roared angrily and turned towards Alexis, and in that moment of distraction Gabe emptied the last few rounds his rifle held into the creatures skull. The Elite gave one last agonized roar then fell to the asphalt, purple blood leaking from its ruined head.

"Thanks for the assist," Gabe said as he reloaded his rifle. The weapon wasn't as heavy as the MA5 series rifles, but the BR55 could put three-round bursts into a tight group at a fairly long distance. It was also fitted with a low-zoom scope, making it even deadlier to distant foes.

"Anytime," Alexis huffed. "What was that?"

"Elite Ultra," Davis commented as the squad joined the pair. "One bad mother, usually put in charge of whole operations and large vehicles. They're better-equipped than most Elites because they've got the skills and experience to back up that technology."

"Sir!" Gabe snapped off a salute. "What's the situation, sir?"

"Not good, kid. Mitch is beat up pretty bad. I've gotta get him off this battlefield. Covies are dug in nice and tight up ahead and the road behind is a killing field for anyone on foot."

Gabe looked at Alexis then back at his sergeant. "Sir, if I may make a suggestion.."

"Shoot."

"That Warthog is still operational, sir. It should keep you and the guys mobile enough to avoid enemy fire. I'd advise taking Mitch back to our lines with it."

"And what about you two?" Davis looked between the Pandora and the young trooper. "That Warthog will barely hold the four of us."

"Alexis and I are moving on ahead," Gabe said. "We're going to try and hit the cruiser."

Davis contemplated ordering his subordinate to stand down but decided against it. "Don't die on me, kid," he said. He punched the younger ODST in the arm then turned to his squad, giving them orders and preparing to move out."

Gabe watched the men leave then looked back at Alexis. "Let's not keep the Covenant waiting," he said.

**UNSC Ace of Spades bridge...**

The larger Phoenix-class warship was laying into the Covenant vessel with a hail of Archer missiles and cannon fire. However, much to the confusion of the ground forces and the Chevalier, they hadn't fired their MAC guns yet.

"Ma'am!" cried one of the bridge crew. "We've taken hits on decks three, four, and seven! There's a fire near the vehicle bay!"

"Evacuate the bay and vent the atmosphere!" Hartman ordered.

"Admiral, I hate to interrupt..." This came from Lodestone, whose projection had appeared on the ships holotank again. "But why are we not using this ships MAC cannons? The Covenant vessel has no shields. If we use the MAC guns..."

"If we used the MACs it'd put civilians in harms way! Not to mention that the crashing ship chunks would level half the damn city. We need to push it out to sea before we hit it."

"That tactic does not seem to be working well," Lodestone commented.

**UNSC Ace of Spades, Cargo Bay 9...**

"Well what should we do?" Simmons looked between her two Marine comrades.

"We ain't been called yet amiga," commented Oseguera.

"Yeah, but there's a battle going on." This was from Mustard. "We should get ready to fight."

The three Marines looked towards the fourth person in the bay, a Pandora named Lina Chu Long. Lina moved among the crates and shelves of the cargo bay, her mouth open in awe. Around her was a wealth of Covenant weaponry. There were large blue weapons, the plasma rifles used by Elites, packed away into crates. Other crates held the smaller claw-like plasma pistols, plasma repeaters with their circular openings, tapered particle beam rifles, syringe-like carbines, and even a few purple weapons with glowing pink crystals protruding from the top that the Marines had called 'Needlers.' Lina found herself drawn to a large hammer with a blade on the back, which was leaned up against a box of weapons that looked like a cross between a large machine gun and a battleaxe.

"Yo, chica!" Oseguera called out. "Hate to rush ya, but we gotta cut this short!"

"What's wrong?" Lina asked, hurrying to rejoin the Marines.

"Some sorta battle. Dunno who with. We gotta go report in."

Lina nodded. "Alright, then if you go into battle I'm coming with you!"

"Not this time chica. You've gotta stay put on the ship. Admiral's orders."

"I'm not UNSC," the girl responded. "And I'm not going to let you do all the fighting and just sit up here nice and safe. I'm coming and that's that."

Simmons shrugged. "Fine kid, but don't come crying to us if your boys try to arrest you as soon as we land."

Together the four soldiers made their way out of the cargo hold and towards one of the ships hangars, making ready to jump headlong into the fray once more.

**Shiori Tenshi District, directly below Covenant battlecruiser...**

Pandora and ODST made their way down the deserted street, weapons at the ready. There wasn't much fighting here but there were tons of Covenant patrols, forcing the pair to move quietly from cover to cover in order to avoid detection. They passed countless hostiles, never once giving the enemy even a hint of their existence. They were the definition of stealth.

That all went to hell with six little words.

As they rounded the corner of a three-way intersection onto a street that would take them closer to the battlecruiser they were forced to duck behind a burned-out car as a pair of massive aliens walked past them. The aliens were roughly twelve feet talk and clad in heavy blue armor. Each beings right arm ended in a massive energy cannon and their left bore an enormous shield that Gabe knew to be utterly impenetrable. Razor-sharp spines jutted up from the aliens backs, easily six feet long apiece Their heads didn't seem to have eyes or mouths... or anything resembling a head whatsoever beside the fact that it jutted out of the necks of their armor like a head would. In the places the armor didn't cover Gabe could see orange flesh.

Just as the two aliens passed their cover and the humans were about to move again a voice called out to them from across the street.

"Hey, you two! Come over here!"

Gabe swore violently and brought his battle rifle up to firing position. The two Hunters turned around and spotted Gabe and Alexis instantly. The aliens gave a low, guttural roar and crouched down to protect their unarmored stomachs. Their cannons spat beams of white-hot plasma at the pair of humans, who quickly darted towards the person who had spoken and given them away. They followed the person into a nearby building and up a flight of stairs, moving quietly after that in order to hide from the aliens.

Gabe froze as the aliens entered the building below them. He could hear their spines scraping the ceiling as they searched for Alexis and himself. His heart pounded in his chest as he waited. The aliens below stopped moving and began conversing with deep grumbling sounds. Eventually the pair decided that their prey had escaped and returned to their patrol outside. Gabe waited until their thunderous footfalls faded away before turning to the girl that had nearly gotten them killed.

The room contained three people besides Alexis and himself. The nearest one was the one that had called out to them. She was a couple years younger than Alexis by the look of her, with dark hair and eyes and a tattoo of some Chinese character under her left eye. The other two were a Pandora with long blonde hair and a bizarre bladed weapon that reminded Gabe of a windshield scraper and a younger Asian guy in a Limiter uniform. Gabe got the funny feeling that this guy was a complete and total tool but didn't comment on it. Instead he turned his attention to the girl with the eye-tattoo.

"What the hell were you thinking, you idiot?!" he snarled in a low whisper. "You nearly got us fucking killed!"

"I apologize," the girl said. "I thought the danger had passed and.."

"Stow it." He looked at the other two again before looking back to her. "Can you idiots move?"

"Yes. We are all unharmed."

"Good. All of you gather 'round. I'm assuming command." He pulled up his VISR map, studying the schematics of the city. "We're right on top of the bastards at this point. I'll bet that street will lead us right to the grav lift.. and I'll bet it's full of snipers."

"What should we do?" Alexis asked.

Gabe studied the map for a moment longer before answering. "According to this there's a sewage tunnel that runs under the street. If we backtrack through this block we can gain access in the next street over. At that point you three.." he glared at the blondie, the wimp, and the tattoo'd chick. ".. will follow the sewer back to HQ."

"And what will you do?" This came from the blonde.

"Alexis and I will go the other way. There's a park down the way, I'll bet anything the Covenant are using that as their staging area. We get in through there and we'll be close enough to the grav lift to spit on it."

"We're coming with you," the blonde girl said.

"Fuck the hell no," Gabe snapped. "It's going to be hard enough without you three dumbasses tagging along."

At this the blonde girl rose to her knees, pointing her weapon at Gabes neck. Almost immediately Alexis brought her own weapon up, using her high-speed tricks to put herself at the blondes side and her weapon to the blondes throat in the blink of an eye.

"Lower your weapon, Untouchable Queen, or I will tear you apart and feed you to our foes." Alexis' voice was low and deadly. The blonde glared back at her and Gabe could tell that this was going to get ugly if he didn't do something quickly. His eyes went to the wimpy-looking Limiter.

"Yo, pipsqueak. Can you pull of a Freezing?" he asked. The Limiter nodded. "Heh. Maybe you stooges will actually come in handy after all. Alright, I've got a use for you idiots. You're with me and Alexis." Alexis glanced at him and backed off from the blonde.

"Who put you in charge?" the blonde asked.

"Tell me something, dipshit. Have you ever fought the Covenant before? Do you know their tactics or capabilities? Can you recognize the biggest threats among them? Or how about high-value targets? Do you know anything at all about our enemy?" The silent glare he got was answer enough. "Didn't think so. Killing those fuckwads is my job. It's what I've been doing for the past three years. That's why I'm in charge. Don't like it? March your stupid ass back to HQ." He turned away from her and began moving towards the stairs. "Move it or lose it, dumbasses."

Gabe went downstairs first, clearing the room before returning to the second floor. "All clear," he said. "Let's roll. Doormat, you're in the middle behind me. Blondie, Tattoo, take his flanks. Alexis, I need someone I can trust on rear guard. I'll take point."

"We have names, you know," said the Limiter. "Mine's Kazu..."

"I don't give a damn what your names are," Gabe growled. "If you morons somehow manage not to die during this op I MIGHT be interested in learning your names. Until then, shut the hell up and focus on the mission." He double-checked the ammo counter on his rifle then moved back downstairs. The two second-year Pandoras and their Limiter friend followed, followed by a still-agitated Alexis.

The group made their way through the building, navigating it's halls and exiting into the alleyway that ran through the middle of the block. The next building over had a metal door at the top of stairway. Gabe took a defensive position with Alex while the blonde Pandora tried the door.

"Locked," she whispered.

"I've got a key," Gabe said. He traded spots with her and drew his magnum. Two shots from the silenced weapon were enough to blow the doorframe apart, allowing the still-locked door to swing open easily. Gabe entered the building, rifle up and scanning. The room was a warehouse at the back of a store. The party moved through the room and to the next door, which was unlocked. Gabe pushed this door open to find himself standing in...

"Oh my.." a scarlet-faced Alexis whispered.

The room they were in was full of various... adult items. Lingerie, toys, videos, oils and rubs, candles... They had made their path through an adult store. The tattoo-faced girl darted over to a display case, her eyes wide.

"Were you perhaps trying to give somebody a hint?" she asked Gabe.

"Shut up and get back in formation," the ODST hissed in response. The girl did as she was instructed, looking a bit put out. The other three were all red in the face, although it was hard to tell which of the Pandoras, Alexis or the blonde, were blushing more.

They exited the adult store and moved into the street. This street was deserted, although Gabe wasn't sure it would remain that way. They approached a large manhole near a few parked cars. The Pandoras moved into covering positions while Gabe and the Limiter worked on the lid. After a few seconds of heaving and prying they pulled the cover up.

"That has to be the worst smell I've ever smelled," the blonde girl complained.

"Just shut up and get in the hole, Barbie." Gabe brought his rifle back up and scanned for hostiles while the others filed down into the sewers. Once they were in he followed, pulling the cover over the manhole again and descending into the bowels of the city.

**Shiori Tenshi District, UNSC Defensive Line G...**

Sergeant Hank Davis and his Echo squad had made their way back to the UNSC lines. Now they were pitching in at a hospital, defending the frontline position from oncoming Covenant forces. A pair of M808 tanks, their rear-mounted turrets belching high-explosive rounds from their 90mm cannons. The rear-mounted turret with the barrel extending over the length of the vehicle had earned them the moniker "Scorpions." These two death-dealers had done an excellent job of cutting down oncoming Covenant vehicles. The collateral damage from the two tanks, not to mention their secondary turrets with their 7.62mm heavy machine guns, had even put a hurt on the incoming infantry, leaving the rest of the Marine forces the task of picking off the stragglers.

Davis reloaded his rifle, checking down the line to make sure his squad was all still vertical. The other ODSTs were looking a bit battle-worn but otherwise alright. Fighting had been heavy and his men had certainly earned a respite, but from the sounds coming from the Covenant battle lines it didn't look like they would get it.

As the first Covenant troops came into view Hank became aware of forces approaching from another direction. He looked back towards the hospital to see a small group of Pandoras and their Limiters. He recognized one of the girls instantly.

Samantha van Houten looked over the Marine forces as she and her comrades joined them. There were roughly fifty of them, including four of the black-armored ODSTs. Her eyes went to one of the troopers. She couldn't see his face due to the polarized visor, but she could feel his gaze upon her. Something about him just screamed hatred. It was just like being watched by her rival, Gabriel.

She forced herself to ignore the ODST. Instead of worrying about him she turned to her comrades and began giving orders. Or rather, relaying the orders that had been given to her by their superiors, who had in turn gotten them from the UNSC admiral. It irked her to be taking orders from the aliens but she didn't question it. Not with the city burning around them.

"Alright, Limters set up near the barricade! Pandoras, follow me over!" She manifested her Volt Weapon, the longsword she'd named Crimson Punishment, and waved it like a medieval commander signaling his troops. "Let's show these knuckle-dragging Marines how true warriors fight!"

Davis stood at that point, stepping in between the Pandoras and the barricade. "Are you insane?" he asked. "There's a hundred thousand Covies out there with fucking plasma weapons and vehicle support. You won't last a second out there!"

Samantha shoved past the trooper, her two comrades following along behind her. "We're not quite as weak as you, soldier. Just sit back and let the big kids take care of this one."

Davis shook his head and took up his position at the barricade once more. He knew there was no reasoning with the Pandora. Instead he ordered his squad to provide covering fire and hoped that their deaths would be quick.

Samantha and her comrades walked down the street, with her in the middle and the other two on her flanks. The Covenant forces had halted at the other end of the street to take cover from the Scorpions. Or at least, that's how it seemed.

The trio caught motion up ahead: one of the birdlike aliens had gotten separated from its squad and was ducking into cover behind some bushes. The Pandoras ran full-out, eager to catch their prey and put it down. This was a mistake, however.

It became painfully obvious that they'd fallen for a trap when Samantha heard a series of sounds from a nearby storefront. It sounded like a ray gun from some poorly-made science-fiction film. She looked towards the sound just as the Pandora beside her gave a cry of pain. Long pink crystals had embedded themselves into the woman's body. For a moment Samantha couldn't do anything but stare.

One of the needles exploded, causing a chain reaction with the others. A large cloud of pink energy engulfed the other Pandora, blowing her body to bloody ribbons and coating Samantha with blood. Shards of the crystals punched through her uniform and into her skin, burning like fire in her body. The blast knocked her into the Pandora on her other side, which actually saved her life. A lance of purplish-white light tore past her face. There came another scream behind her as the other Pandora took the beam in the stomach and fell to the ground. Samantha staggered as she ran for a nearby car, not knowing if the other girl would make it or not but not wanting to stick around with that sniper in the area.

Davis, meanwhile, watched this going down with a sour expression behind his visor. He'd known that the idiots would get killed, and sure enough they were dying. One girl was already down, half her body blown away by a Grunt with a Needler. A second was down but still alive, having been hit in the gut with a particle beam rifle probably wielded by a Jackal or a Skirmisher... or God forbid an Elite Ranger. The third girl, the nasty one that had insulted him and his comrades and kept starting trouble with Pinpoint, was hiding under a car with Elites bearing down on her position. Davis swore loudly then yelled at his men over his radio.

"Alright, cover me! I'm gonna try to save those stupid fucks!" The affirmative came from three of the soldiers. Rack-Em opted to answer by firing his sniper rifle, dropping a birdlike Jackal that had poked its head out of its cover in order to line up another shot at Samantha. Davis ran down the street under the cover of the UNSC guns and skidded to a halt next to the wounded Pandora. He hoisted the girl onto his shoulders then looked for Samantha.

A black armored Elite, a special operations unit, had materialized next to the car Samantha had hidden under. The aliens clawlike fingers grasped the Pandora by the ankle and it dragged her out, holding her high like a chicken. Samantha screamed and swung her Volt Weapon at the Elite, but the weapon simply bounced off of the creatures shields. Laughing, the Elite dragged the still-struggling Pandora away.

Davis cursed again and began running back towards the UNSC lines with the wounded Pandora he was carrying. There was no way he'd be able to save both of them, so he decided to save the wounded one and pray that the other Pandora could save herself.

**Shiori Tenshi District, UNSC Command Post Three...**

Jeremy-049 sighed behind his faceplate as he reloaded his rifle. Teslad, the Legendary Pandora that had been following him around, was standing next to him and watching him work. The other SPARTANs were all tending to their gear, gathering more munitions and supplies from the various crates in the ammo dump they were all standing in.

They'd come across a UNSC staging area where hundreds of civilians were being evacuated. The SPARTAN team and their Pandora follower had held the command post against a nearly constant flood of Covenant troops. Luckily the Covenant jamming had been disabled by this point, allowing the UNSC to coordinate their efforts directly.

Without warning the entire building shook. Jeremy and the other SPARTANs bolted outside, weapons at the ready. Teslad followed Jeremy like a shadow, seeming more interested in him than whatever had caused the tremor.

It didn't take long to find the source of the shaking. A Pelican dropship had crashed into one of the buildings of the elementary school the UNSC were using for their command post. As he watched a frighteningly familiar beam of plasma shot overhead, knocking a passing Longsword from the sky. Jeremy traced the beam to its source but he didn't need to see to know what had caused it.

A massive four-legged walker, looking like some sort of demonic beetle with a massive gun turret on top, had approached from the direction of the Covenant ship. As Jeremy watched a second Scarab knocked its way through some buildings, showering the Marines with dust and bits of rubble

"Alright Pink Team," Jeremy called out over his radio. "Tess, you're with me. We've got the one on the left. Everyone else hit the one on the right." Nine blue acknowledgement lights winked within his helmet and the SPARTAN team moved out, tearing off to take on the oncoming Scarabs.

Jeremy and Tess, accompanied by Teslad, made a break for the left-hand Scarab. The two Spartans approached the behemoths legs, their guns taking out the vehicle's gunner crews. Once again the craft spat a beam of plasma at the oncoming SPARTANs, melting a deep gouge in the street as it tracked Tess. The SPARTANs made it past the enemy firepower, however, and began climbing the walkers legs.

As Jeremy reached the top of the leg he suddenly found a hand in his face. He looked up to see Teslad standing on the deck of the Scarab and offering to help him up. The SPARTAN took the offered hand and stood up on the deck with her just as a mighty explosion shook the Scarab. Apparently the rest of Pink had done their job.

The pair snuck down the walkway, coming around towards the back of the Scarab where its power core was. They poked their heads around just as Tess did the same on the other side of the craft. Jeremy readied his weapon then held his hand up with three fingers extended. He put one down, then two, then all of them. On the third count the two SPARTANs came around the corners, guns ablaze. Their firing cut down the two Jackals and one blue-armored Elite Minor that were attending to the power core. Teslad pushed past Jeremy at that point, bringing her Volt Weapons up. As she brought the weapons down they released some sort of shockwave that tore through the core shield and the core itself. Red warning lights began to flash all around them.

"Time to go," Jeremy said.

The two SPARTANs and the Pandora ran for the side of the Scarab and jumped. They were close enough to the buildings on either side that they were able to land on a nearby rooftop just before the Scarab exploded in a brilliant flash of blue. Jeremy gazed down at the wrecked walker for a moment. Teslad stood beside him, watching the craft burn.

"Not bad," the SPARTAN commented to the Pandora.

**Shiori Tenshi District, directly underneath Covenant battlecruiser...**

Gabe ran back to the cross-pipe where the others had hidden, skidding into place. He had just finished placing a series of explosive charges along the roof of the sewer pipe and now it was time for their work to pay off.

"Alright, one more time people. When the tunnel collapses we're going to make a run straight for the grav lift." He checked his rifle yet again, not wanting to go into battle with an empty mag or anything. "Got it?" The others nodded. Gabe waited a tick then hit the button on the detonator, causing the charges to explode. The ceiling fell in, leaving a perfect ramp at the end of the tunnel and causing mass confusion among the Covenant troops above.

Gabe was the first one out, running down the tunnel and up the homemade ramp with his rifle blazing. The three Pandoras and one Limiter ran with him, Volt Weapons cutting down Covenant troops and the Limiters Freezing holding the enemy in place. They found themselves in a large city park. Hundreds upon hundreds of Covenant troops were gathered here, along with dozens of beetle-like vehicles and tons of equipment. Directly in front of them was a large metal pad at the base of a purple column of light: the gravity lift. The mission seemed to be going well, at first.

As the gravity lift came into view Gabe began to run faster, eager to get to the lift before the Covenant could recover from the surprise attack. He had almost made it when he heard a sudden cry from the Limiter.

"Satella!"

Gabe turned around to find that the blonde Pandora had become separated. A Needler crystal had found its way into her leg and blown a large, bloody crater in her calf. He glanced around as the Covenant forces began to move. Apparently the kid had stopped his Freezing. There was no way to reach the gravity lift now.

"Get to the tunnel!" Gabe shouted. "Retreat! Full retreat!"

The others complied with this immediately. Gabe himself darted headlong into the crowd of Covies, slamming aside a pair of Grunts in order to reach the downed Pandora. He caught the blonde by the neck of her dress and, using the extra strength given to him by his stigmata, threw her through the crowd and to the others. He had just enough time to watch her two companions pick her up and run with her before he blacked out.

Alexis cut down a large apelike alien as the three underclassmen made their way back into the tunnel. She turned to find Gabe then, only to see a figure in black armor appear behind the ODST. The Elite brought its plasma rifle down hard enough to crack Gabes helmet in two and knock the trooper out cold. The Elite then threw the unconscious Gabe over its shoulder then and carried him towards the gravity lift.

Alexis knew she would never make it through the horde of Covenant soldiers in time to help Gabe. The only option at this point was to fall back, regroup, and try to rescue him later. With tears in her eyes she retreated with the other two. Her weapon cut away the supports at the end of the hole they'd made, bringing the ceiling down further and blocking the entrance. With their rear secured Alexis joined her underclassmen, silently leading them back down the tunnel.


	14. Chapter 14

_(A/N: I'm glad one of my reviewers mentioned the Bali Vacation Arc, I really am! I'm also of the mind that Luis got off WAY too easy, and for some time I'd been toying with the idea of throwing a small omake out there for the Freezing fans in which a pack of Marines decided that a certain Limiter needed his ass kicked. But after reading what was suggested I came up with a brilliant plot, and so the Freezing fans out there will get to see some justice in this little train-wreck of a fanfic! And I already had the perfect characters in place to perform such an act... although I will have to break canon a teensy bit to do so. Or maybe more than just a little.. but yeah. Justice! Look forward to it!_

_It's also come to my attention that I've committed a major sin in writing this fanfic. Those of you who know Halo will know things like what the difference between a BR-55 and an MA5B is, or what an Elite looks like, or what a plasma rifle sounds like. And Freezing fans will know what an S-Type Nova looks like and how it looks when a Pandora uses Accel. But people who only know one series or the other... or people who don't know either... won't have a dadgum clue what's going on. So I'm going to be a bit more dilligent with my details, and I'll be re-describing some things that I didn't explain too well. Sorry about that, folks!)_

**Shiori Tenshi District, Sewage Tunnels...**

Alexis led her three underclassmen through the sewer tunnels some time, keeping moving in order to avoid thinking about what might happen to her partner. She didn't want to imagine him at the mercy of those creatures. The birdlike ones looked more than willing to dine on human flesh, and the apelike creature she'd slain just before he was taken had certainly looked carnivorous.

Eventually they were forced to stop, given the fact that one of their number was wounded. The blonde girl, Satellizer, seemed to be having through healing despite having the regenerative abilities of a Pandora. The group stopped at an intersection to rest. Alexis knelt down by the girl, examining her leg closely.

"I'm fine," the blonde girl panted. "This is nothing."

"Your stupidity has already cost my partner his life," Alexis said in a soft voice that only hinted at the anger in the Pandoras heart. "Don't let it cost yours as well."

The blonde glared at Alexis, offended by this comment. "It's not my fault he decided to charge in like an.."

The girl never got the words out. In a heartbeat Alexis had materialized her weapon and buried one of the blades in the wall next to the other girls head. Satellizers eyes went to the shaft of the double-scythe as Alexis pulled it free.

"The only reason I haven't killed you yet is because Gabriel sacrificed himself to save you," Alexis whispered. "But if you try my patience much further, I'm going to make you watch as I take your friends apart piece by piece. Is that understood?" The blonde seemed to decide that it wasn't a good idea to mess with the enraged fourth-year and simply nodded, falling silent.

"I'm sure Satella didn't mean for your friend to get hurt," the Limiter named Kazuya said. He reached out to put a hand on Alexis's shoulder but halted when she shot a cold gaze in his direction.

"Don't misunderstand me, Limiter. I'm only being calm because we're in the middle of a battle. But if you continue talking or EVER try to touch me again, I will kill you where you stand."

"What is your problem?" This came from the girl with the tattoo on her face. "It is not like we tried to get your friend captured! You could be a little less hostile, you know!"

Alexis rounded on the girl next, standing up and approaching her with her Volt Weapon held at the ready. The younger Pandora took an instinctive step backwards.

"In the short time that we've know you, you three have managed to get us chased by those massive armored beasts, you've threatened my partner, you've been a complete nightmare to work with, you've almost gotten us killed, you've completely screwed our mission, and you've even forced Gabriel to save one of your sorry asses at the cost of his own life! That is what my problem is. My problem is the three irredeemable idiots I have the horrible misfortune of being on the same planet with! So excuse me if I'm not exactly the most pleasant of people right now, you complete and total fucking douchebags!"

No one spoke for a while after that. Eventually Alexis calmed down and returned to Satellizer, looking the other girls wound over again.

"Listen, all of you." Alexis's voice had returned to that soft whisper, although her tone was a bit less harsh than before. "I'm going to make sure you get back to the Academy alive. It's my duty, and someone important to me taught me that our duty is the most important thing any of us will ever do with our lives. So just.. please cooperate with me until then." Her eyes went to the blonde. "That means staying quiet, keeping your weapons away from me, and not questioning my orders. Once we've reached safety you may say what you wish, and I will be more than happy to oblige any of you who wish to taste my blades."

The other three nodded and Alexis stood up. "You two, help Satellizer up. Stay behind me. I'll take point, and if anything happens fall back until I've dealt with the situation." Once more the others nodded, the unharmed Pandora and the Limiter helping the wounded girl to her feet and supporting her between them. Alexis led the way down the tunnel, ever alert and ready to defend the trio behind her.

**Covenant Battlecruiser Sublime Reverence, brig...**

The first thing Gabe felt when he came to was his pounding head. 'Well that's a good thing,' he thought. 'Pain means I'm still alive.. I think.' He waited a moment and listened to his surroundings. There were no signs of battle, no alien voices, nothing at all. It was all eerie silence except for a faint humming and the sound of someone breathing nearby.

The ODST opened his eyes to find himself in a small room lit by a single greenish light. An energy barrier made up one of the walls, while the other walls, floor, and ceiling were all made of the same purplish metal as the Covenant ship. Gabe knew right away where he was: This was the brig of a Covenant ship. Apparently he'd been captured.

His eyes fell on the other occupant of the cell at that point. He couldn't believe his luck, or rather his unluck. The girl sitting across the cell from him was slightly taller than Alexis, with reddish-brown hair pulled back into a bun and chocolate-colored eyes. She wore the uniform of a West Genetics Pandora, although he didn't need to see her uniform to know exactly who this woman was and where she came from.

"So you're finally awake, alien," Samantha van Houten grumbled. "Must be nice to sleep that much in a warzone."

Gabe pushed himself upright and rubbed his head. There was a soft lump under his hair the size of a golf ball. "Give it a rest van Houten," he said.

He stood, taking a second to get his balance back. It felt as if he had a concussion. Samantha watched him as he leaned against the wall. Her eyes seemed to be going to his back. It was then that he realized that he was shirtless. It seemed as though his armor and undersuit had been cut away at the waist, leaving him with what amounted to an armored pair of pants and his boots. His dogtags and the cross necklace he wore glinted in the light as he began to move towards the barrier that blocked the door of the cell.

"It's no use," Samantha commented, her eyes never leaving the crimson stigmata on his back. "Even my Volt Weapon couldn't break that barrier or the walls."

With a defeated sigh the ODST punched the barrier, only to receive a massive shock from the impenetrable energy field. Samantha laughed, clearly amused by this. The Pandora stood up and moved behind him. Gabe turned on his heel, glaring at his nemesis.

"What do you think you're doing?" he snarled. There was no way in hell he was going to let her just stand behind him.

"I think they're interested in our stigmata," she said, sitting back down against the wall. "My uniform was cut away just like yours when I woke up. Thank God for reformable Volt Textures, right?" Her eyes went to the still-present scars on the ODSTs chest. "So it's true then... you really are a male Pandora?"

Gabe grunted and sat down on the opposite side of the cell from her. "Yeah. Apparently I already had some sort of funky ju-ju going on when I got here that let me bust loose from a Freezing. Then when I took all that shrapnel from the Nova core on the Ace the little bits and pieces turned into stigmata. That's what those red things are. Or at least that's what I'm told."

Samantha stood once more and came closer to him, kneeling in front of him. "May I see?" she asked.

Gabe hesitated then nodded. After all, even she should've been smart enough to work with him rather than kill him, at least until they got off the ship. He turned around and presented his back to her. Samanthas fingers touched one of his crystalline stigmata gently. To her they looked like some sort of demonic flower. She counted the stigmata: three vertical lines of four, twelve altogether, plus the one Alexis had branded into his flesh. The most any Pandora she'd even met had was eight. She herself had four of them, although they were the normal diamond-shaped blue gems rather than these... things. Everything about his stigmata gave her a sinister feeling, as if she was staring straight into the eyes of Satan himself.

"Have you learned any High-End Skills?" she asked, tracing his ODST tattoo at this point.

"Whatnow?"

"I'm guessing you haven't." Her fingers went to the blue stigmata at the top of the middle line of red, the one Alexis had given him. When she touched it the ODSTs shoulders tensed and she took her hand away quickly. "High-End Skills are techniques made possible by our stigmata and the abilities they give us. You've already seen what I can do. I'm an Accel-type Pandora, which means that I can use high-speed techniques. Remember the time we fought and Tannar saved you?"

Gabe nodded. "Yeah. You were moving too fast for me to see. I kept seeing afterimages. It was like there were three of you hitting me at once."

"That was a Triple Accel. I move fast enough that I appear to be attacking from three directions at once when it's really just a series of three quick attacks in a row."

"I see." Gabe filed this information away for the next time he fought her... if they ever did fight each other again. "So why are you telling me this?"

"Because, until we escape from this place we're allies. Once we're free and these fiends are destroyed we can settle up once and for all."

Gabe turned to face the Pandora. "What the hell do we have to settle up over, anyway? What did I do that was so horrible that you've got to start shit with me at every turn?"

Samantha glared back at the ODST, her feelings coming back to the surface. "Do I really have to explain something so simple to you? You're an alien for crying out loud!" She gestured at what remained of his uniform. "You're an interdemensional alien just like the Nova! You're just a normal human soldier from the barbaric armies an uncivilized world and yet you can use the same powers as a Pandora and then some! You're an eyesore, Gabriel Kinkaid! You don't belong at West Genetics or even on this damn planet!"

"And you think that's my fault?" Gabe snapped. "You really think I wanted to come to this backwater shithole of a planet? You think I wanted to get shot to hell by a bunch of Nova chunks, to have a bunch of alien pieces growing inside my own body? I never had a damn choice!" His fists clenched on his lap. "What the hell am I supposed to do in your fucked-up little view of reality, huh?"

"You and all of your people should just leave!" Samantha responded, her voice nearly a shout by this point. "You should get on that ship of yours and go back to whatever land of savages you came from!" She gestured around at the Covenant ship. "If you hadn't come here, these monsters would've never come either! We already had one alien menace to worry about, then you decided you had to bring yours with you for us to suffer under too!"

"Oh, trust me! If I could go back home I would! None of us want to be here. This fucking shithole of a planet and everyone on it can burn for all I care! I'd rather die fighting the Covenant in defense of our of OUR worlds rather than get turned into a fucking monster like you just for the sake of a bunch of primitive jackoffs who can't even tell when someone is trying to help them!"

"Then why haven't you? You're not wanted here, and you're only bringing more problems with you! We don't need you and your cannon fodder to fight OUR battles for us!"

At that point Gabe lost it. His fist came up and he punched the Pandora just below the ribs. She retaliated with a punch to the eye. For a few seconds the two traded blows. Then, as Gabe grabbed Samanthas wrist in an attempt to block her hits, the Pandora collapsed against him. The two fell over with the Pandora laying atop the ODST and sobbing uncontrollably, her face buried against his bare chest.

"What... the actual fuck?" Gabe muttered.

Samantha stayed like that for some time, crying against her archenemy. After about half an hour of it she finally sat up, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "I'm just... sick of this. All this fighting, day in and day out. We fight the Nova, we barely win. We fight each other until we can't move anymore just to establish rank. We try to do a simple training exercise, we barely win but end up with our forces decimated. Less than a day later we're fighting these.. things." She shook her head, flopping onto her back and staring up at the light set in the ceiling. "It never ends."

Gabe nodded, sitting up and scooting back against the wall. He could feel the tips of his stigmata digging into his flesh as he leaned against the metal wall but ignored it. "It's combat fatigue. I've seen it plenty of times before back home. We fight so much with no interlude that we just start breaking down." He sighed and stared up at the ceiling light as well. "I'd say it's actually worse for us, because at least you have your Limiter. Your partner can help you unwind when things get rough. We Marines don't have that. The best we've got is a bunk we might not make it back to and squadmates that have a tendency to die on you when you need them most."

"But you're not fighting the Nova," Samantha commented.

"No. We fight fleets of ships made up of hundreds of ships like this or bigger, each one packed with thousands upon thousands of bloodthirsty aliens armed to the teeth with advanced weapons and equipment. Just taking back one planet took five years of non-stop war, and ever since then we've been getting our asses handed to us." Samantha fell silent at these words, feeling foolish at that point.

"Kinkaid," she said finally. "I want to go home. I want off this ship. I want to see Victor again and tell him how lucky I am to have him as my Limiter. I.. don't think I tell him that enough." Her eyes found the ODSTs face. "I'm sure Tannar is waiting for you to return down there."

Gabe nodded but didn't speak. He didn't have any equipment or any weapons. He had nothing to fight with or even get out of the cell with. With a dissatisfied grunt he shifted his weight, and as he did he felt something heavy move in his pants pocket.

Realization struck Gabe as he remembered what he'd put in that pocket. He stood up quickly and dug in his pocket, pulling out a device that looked like a dumbbell with a nub in the middle of the handle. Samantha eyed the device curiously. "What is that thing?" she asked.

In response Gabe pressed his hand against the activation bar. The weapon gave a loud crack and a hiss as it activated. Twin blades of plasma extended from the handle, illuminating the cell even further. Samantha scrambled to her feet, her own Volt Weapon forming in her hands.

"I don't know how the Covies didn't find this," Gabe said. "But I think it'll do the trick.." He turned to the cell door and plunged the weapon into the floor. At once a shower of sparks flew from the emitters in the floor. The barrier flickered out and vanished. Gabe looked at Samantha and jerked his head. "Come on," he said. "Don't make a guy escape all by his lonesome."

**Shiori Tenshi District, below rear of Covenant battlecruiser...**

"Aw hell..." Rack-Em said softly.

The last half hour had been a mess. First came the assault. The Covenant had sent in a Scarab walker to push back the Marine defenders. Limiters and their Freezing couldn't do anything about the massive machine, and so the UNSC forces had been forced to retreat. That included Echo squad, or what was left of them. With Mitch wounded and being shipped back to the Academy, the squad now consisted of Davis, Tate, Rex, and Rack-Em himself.

They'd began their retreat, but during the fighting a number of Jackal snipers had opened fire upon the retreating Marines from the rooftops. Rack-Em had stayed behind, taking down Jackal after Jackal in order to buy the other soldiers time to escape. But he'd stayed too long and the Scarab had cut him off.

Now the lone ODST walked through the darkened city, sticking to the shadows. His sniper rifle bounced against his back as he walked, his pistol held at the ready. His VISR outlined the area in yellow tones, occasionally marking doors or discarded equipment in blue.

He'd been at it for quite some time when he caught the sounds of battle up ahead. The trooper moved quietly, coming around a corner into a large open square. There, across the way, he could see a lone woman in a blue Pandora uniform with a large sword. Her hair, a greyish-blonde tone, seemed to dance around her as she fought a trio of aliens.

Rack-Em's heart dropped when he realized what the girl was fighting against. The apelike creatures were easily eight or nine feet tall and covered in thick fur in varying shades of brown. Their heads were sloped downward towards their elongated mouths. Large teeth jutted from their upper and lower jaws, clearly meant for ripping meat. The furry beasts were mostly naked, wearing only a pair of crossed bandolier-like straps fastened with a pair of round buckles, cloth wraps around their ankles, and armor plates on their shoulders and the tops of their heads. Their beady eyes were full of malice and bloodlust as they fought the smaller human woman. Rack-Em recognized the monsters instantly, although he'd only ever seen them once before. They were Jiralhanae, or "Brutes" as humans called them, and they were tough customers. To add to their insane physical strength, the Brutes carried large weapons akin to grenade launchers. These weapons consisted of a large handle over the rather stubby barrel and a handgrip below. The back of the weapon was a large ring with a rotating handle in the middle. Where the stock would have been on a human weapon, this device had a long, curved blade ending in a wicked point. Rack-Em had once seen a Brute cut a Marine in half with the blade on its weapon.

The ODST set up the bipod attached to his rifle on the hood of a parked car, taking careful aim at the trio. The Pandora was giving it all she had but the Brutes were simply too much for her to take on by herself. Even at this distance he could tell she was tired. One of the Brutes swiped at the Pandora with its fist, catching her in the head and knocking her to the ground. The creature pounced at its prey and raised its weapon in order to start hacking pieces off of the Pandora...

BANG! The report of Rack-Em's anti-materiel rifle echoed through the square. The 14.5x114mm sabot tore through the air between the barrel of the gun and the skull of the lead Brute, leaving a trail of water vapor in its path. On impact the projectile shattered the Brutes thick skull and turned its brain into singed mush. Purplish blood and bits of brain and bone showered the other two Brutes. Neither beast had a chance to react to their comrades death. A second and third shots rang out and the other two Brutes dropped like rocks, leaving Rack-Em with nothing in his scope but a startled Pandora.

The ODST reloaded his rifle then hooked it to the magnetic weapon strips on his armor and made his way towards the Pandora, his pistol in his hand once more just in case. As he approached the Pandora got to her feet, her gaze icy as she studied the trooper that had just saved her life.

"You alright?" Rack-Em asked as he got close. "Damn Brutes, man... those guys'll tear you a new one five times over!" The Pandora nodded but didn't speak. Feeling slightly nervous now, Rack-Em unpolarized his VISR so she could see his face. He had straw-colored hair cut almost to his scalp and a pair of vibrant green eyes. "Corporal Josh Carson, at your service!" he introduced himself. "And you are...?"

The Pandora stared at him for a moment before answering. "Holly Rose, UK Genetics." She turned away from him and started off into the darkened city. With no where else to go, the ODST followed along. The Pandora gave him a glance when he caught up with her and fell in at her side. "Are you alone?" she asked.

"Yeah. I was at the defenses over in grid sixteen by fifty-one, couple streets over from CP4. We got overrun and I was cut off from the others. Been wandering around down here trying to find my way back, but my VISR is messed up and I can't get any map data."

Holly didn't speak, apparently not feeling any need to comment on the troopers equipment. Instead she just walked on, her cold eyes scanning their surroundings for trouble. And so Pandora and ODST walked side-by-side, although they were far from a mirror of another pair of such classifications.

**Shiori Tenshi District, UNSC Command Post Three...**

Jeremy-049 stood in a comm center which had been set up in one of the classrooms of the elementary school they'd commandeered for their command post and staging area. A bank of portable computers had been set up and rigged up to a makeshift comm tower the Marine engineers had put together.

On the screen he was looking at was a familiar face: Admiral Lucia Hartman. Another computer nearby showed a tactical map of the area around the Covenant battlecruiser. Teslad stood next to him, watching him converse with his commanding officer.

"The operation will commence immediately, SPARTAN," Hartman was saying. "Are your orders understood?"

"Yes ma'am. Take the Covenant LZ and force the ship to relocate to allow for MAC assault."

"Good. I'll be expecting results, SPARTAN."

Jeremy saluted as the screen went black, then he looked to Teslad. "Last chance to fall back," he said. At this the Pandora just stared at him until he shook his head. "Didn't think you would. I'll be glad to have you along on this one."

The SPARTAN exited the room with Teslad following as usual. As he looked around at the Marines gathering at the staging area he began to feel a prickle of worry. This mission was a horrible idea, but it was the best they had. Their defenses were spread too thin, so they'd gathered whatever forces they could in three areas: the police station he and the other SPARTANS had landed at, this school, and a sewage treatment plant on the other side of the ship. High above the city, the Ace of Spades was locked in a fierce battle with the Covenant ship. Luckily the other Legendary Pandoras had been sent to the Ace, where they were hard at work blocking incoming Covenant fire with their Volt Barriers.

There were nearly eight hundred Marines gathered at the school by this point. Of course, this wasn't even a tenth of the forces they had, but the majority of the UNSC forces were scattered across the city. Jeremy didn't think they'd stand a chance against the thousands of Covenant they faced, but it was his job to make sure that ship was forced away.

Jeremy-049 keyed his helmet mic, broadcasting on the TACCOM channel. "All forces, CP3 is moving up! We're the center of the movement, people. CP2 is on our left, and CP5 is coming from the other side. Objective is the gravity lift. We need to take the lift and force the Covenant ship off-station." He checked the mission timer on his HUD. "All units, move out!"

At once the Marines forces began to move. At the head of the charge were a group of Scorpion tanks, their guns laying down a barrage of fire that would make even the hardiest of Covenant vehicles crumple like paper cups.

A trio of vehicles rolled up next to the SPARTAN and his Pandora follower. Two of the vehicles resembled futuristic jeeps. They were two-seater, almost reminiscent of an extremely short pickup truck. Their knobby tires were mounted on individual arms allowing the vehicle to adapt to nearly any terrain. Their front ends were wide and flat, almost like a cobras hood with two tow hooks protruding from under the nose. Those hooks had earned the vehicles their nickname: Warthogs.

Two of the vehicles had short, pickup-like beds. In each bed was mounted a powered gun turret with a full 360 degrees range of motion. One of the 'Hogs carried a large three-barreled minigun while the other sported the long barrel of a coilgun cannon. The third vehicle had a longer back end and was fitted with a long double-sided bench seat and a crash cage around them, bringing the total passengers up to six. There was a single SPARTAN on either side of the vehicle and one hanging off of the back, while a fourth and fifth were in the driver and passenger seats. The vehicle with the mounted gauss cannon had three SPARTANS riding as well, leaving Tess-102 to drive the one with the machine gun. Jeremy started towards the vehicle but stopped as Teslad passed him. The Pandoras weapons vanished as she climbed onto the back of the Warthog, examining the minigun for a moment. After studying the weapon she drew back the charging handle, cycling a round into the gun. She leaned against the weapons shoulder supports and gripped the handles as if she'd done this a hundred times before. Jeremy watched for a moment then climbed into the passenger seat next to Tess.

"Are you sure about her?" Tess asked him over their helmet radios, using a private channel so only he could hear her.

"Well, she doesn't seem to take the hint to go away," he replied. "But I don't think she's looking for trouble. She seems like she just wants to help drive the Covenant away." Tess thought for a moment then nodded. The SPARTAN hit the accelerator while Jeremy shifted in his seat. He placed one armored foot on the dashboard and the other on the seat, sitting up on the back of the seat and poking his torso through up above the windshield. He kept his rifle at the ready as the trio of 'Hogs made for the frontlines.

As they drove he checked over his rifle. The weapon was an MA5C, the younger brother of the legendary MA5B that had been in service since before the start of the Human-Covenant War. The rifle was a bullpup design like the BR-55, but where the battle rifle had a pistol grip and an open carry handle above the barrel with a mounted scope, the MA5 series weapons had a thumbhole stock and a large hood at the top of the weapon. The back of this hood was slanted down towards the body of the gun and housed an ammo counter. A built-in flashlight protruded from the barrel shroud and handgrip below the barrel itself. The back end of the weapon also had an angled receiver, resulting in a much smaller recoil pad than the BR-55, which had a completely vertical magazine and a wider buttplate.

The sound of gunfire ahead made Jeremy look up from his weapon. Up ahead he could see a number of large purple shapes. Each one was about the size of a small shed. The consisted of a wide rounded nose, a pair of short, stubby fins at the base, and a large metal hump on top near the rear. As he watched the humps split open, the metal plates sliding apart and allowing a large energy cannon to rise up. A gun turret was mounted near the front of each vehicle, each manned by one of the diminutive Grunts and spraying a barrage of plasma bolts at the oncoming UNSC forces.

The cannon at the back of one of the Wraiths fired, lobbing a massive blob of plasma in an arcing path towards the Marines. The mortar hit one of the buildings, blasting a large crater in the wall and showering the Marines below with rubble.

"Let's do this people," Jeremy said into his comm. "All forces, fire at will!"

**Covenant Battlecruiser Sublime Reverence...**

Gabe and Samantha made their way down the darkened hallways of the Covenant ship, weapons at the ready. They hadn't run across any Covenant yet but they were still being cautious. It would be very easy to end up getting trapped and pinned down by even a small squad of Grunts.

Samantha followed behind the ODST as they moved. They walked in silence for a while, not willing to stop in case it gave their enemies the chance to catch up with them. So when Gabe suddenly stopped Samantha wasn't ready and ended up running into him.

"What is it?" she whispered.

Gabe listened for a moment then signaled to move up. The pair crept along the corridor they were in and stopped at an intersection. Gabe poked his head around the corner, listening once again.

"Hear that?" he whispered.

Samantha moved closer and listened. At first she didn't hear anything, but as she listened she began to discern sound from down the hallway to their right. There were footsteps, lots of them. She could hear a symphony of chittering and chattering and growling and yapping... the sounds of alien speech on a massive scale. Droning behind this was a very distinct sound: a low pulsing hum she recognized as the engines of the large transport ships she'd seen during the fight. There were also the soft howling sound of the smaller fighters that the Marines referred to as Banshees.

"A lot of activity," she whispered. "What is it?"

"A shuttle bay," Gabe said. "Our ticket out." He jerked his head for her to follow then started down the hallway towards the source of all the noise.

"There's something bothering me," Samantha whispered. "When those aliens locked us up they didn't leave any guards. And the whole time we've been wandering through this ship we haven't seen any aliens whatsoever. If this is a warship, shouldn't there be guards and technicians and such?"

Gabe didn't reply. He had been thinking the same thing for some time now. There had been several times he'd thought he'd heard footsteps behind them but he could never see anything when he looked back. It was enough to put anyone on edge.

They reached the end of the hallway, which was cut off by a large sliding metal door. The door slid open automatically as they approached. Sure enough, they had arrived at the ships shuttle bay. The bay consisted of three levels, each with a balcony that ran along three walls of the room. The outside wall consisted of massive energy barriers that kept any matter from entering or leaving the ship, allowing it to retain atmosphere during spaceflight. They were on the middle level, which had long docking booms for dropships. There were a number of the odd U-shaped craft in the bay, including one near them against the docking boom. Hundreds of Covenant soldiers, ranging from the tiny Grunts to the tank-like Hunters occupied the ground floor of the bay. There were also a number of bulbous single-person fighters, each with a pair of stubby wings ending in small pods the glowed when the craft was in flight. The nose of each Banshee was adorned with a pair of heavy plasma cannons and a larger weapon mounted underneath the nose of the ship. These ships were the source of the unearthly howling sound they'd heard earlier.

"Move up," Gabe muttered. "Stay close to the wall and out of sight."

Samantha looked at him curiously but did as she was told. Gabe moved after her, ducking around the corner of the door. He hesitated for a second then re-activated the energy sword he was carrying, turning and stabbing the weapon towards the open doorway.

A pained roar came from the seemingly empty doorway as purple blood sprayed from thin air. A figure in black armor materialized around his weapon. The creature was roughly eight feet tall and clad in black armor plates around a black skinsuit. It had backwards-bending legs like a bird, large hoof-like feet, and an humped back. The creatures head was elongated and ended in four tooth-lined mandibles around a central mouth. The creatures eyes, green orbs with slitted pupils, glared at the ODST that had just killed it. It gave a mighty shudder then fell to the floor, a pool of its purple lifeblood spreading around it. Gabe deactivated his sword and knelt down by the beast while Samantha looked on in horror.

"What the hell is that?" she whispered.

"It's an Elite," Gabe replied. "They're the military backbone of the Covenant from what we've seen. They act as officers and command the rest of the forces. They also act as special-ops units." He pulled the creatures weapon from its four-fingered hand. The device consisted of a handle similar to the energy sword Gabe had stolen in between the two halves of the weapon. The top half was longer than the bottom and hand two fins coming off of the back end. Each half had purple-colored armor plates over the gray metal of the weapons innards. The tip of each half had a portion protruding inward in front of some sort of screen-like strip that ran between both halves. It reminded him of an open mouth with teeth ready to rip into the flesh of its foe.

He hooked the plasma rifle to the magnetic weapon clamp on what remained of his armor then continued searching the creature. He found four blue spheres, each with an orange pad and green markings. He took these grenades and stuffed them into one of his pockets. Satisfied that the Elite carried no other useful items, Gabe stood up and turned to Samantha. "I've got a plan," he said. "But it's gonna be tricky."

"I'm ready for anything," Samantha replied. "Just tell me what we need to do."

Gabe was a bit unnerved by this new docile Samantha but didn't comment. Instead he dropped to the floor and crawled up to the edge of the balcony they were standing on. Below, on the floor of the shuttle bay, the Covenant soldiers carried on in their duties. They apparently hadn't heard the Elite roaring over the clamor of their forces preparing for battle. Gabe crawled back to Samantha then stood up and pointed towards the nearest dropship.

"We're gonna steal that Spirit and fly 'er out of here," he said. "Then we're gonna put a hell of a hurt on this piece of junk."

Samantha stared from Gabe to the dropship he'd indicated. "Do you know how to fly that thing?" she asked.

"I've run simulations but never actually flown one in combat."

Samantha sighed and shook her head. "This has to be the worst plan ever... but I'd rather die fighting than ever submit to these rotten beasts." She gripped her Volt Weapon tightly. "I'm with you, Kinkaid."

Gabe nodded and picked up his sword, which he'd left lying on the floor. He hesitated for a moment, checking the path in front of them, then activated his weapon and charged.

They met no resistance as they ran along the balcony and to the docking boom. Once on the boom, however, the Covenant below them took notice of the two humans and opened fire. Plasma, needles, and particle beams flashed past the pair until they reached the dropship. Gabe reached the end of the docking boom and slammed his hand against the holopanel there, opening the barriers that guarded the shuttle bay. He then turned and jumped onto the open door of the Spirit hovering next to the boom.

The Spirit dropship consisted of two long arms, each one opening with a pair of long horizontal doors along the outside that folded down into a ramp and up into a canopy respectively. The inside had gravity generators that could hold vehicles and supplies in between the two arm. The cockpit, situated at the back of the ship in between the two arm, was accessed by doors at the back of each arm. The bottom of the cockpit had a structure shaped like an upside-down airplane tail, beneath which was mounted a heavy plasma cannon.

They found a pair of blue-armored Elites, indicating that these warriors were of lower rank. Gabe plunged his sword into one of the creatures while Samantha did the same with her Volt Weapon and the second Elite. Gabe quickly showed Samantha how to work the gun controls then took the pilots seat. After taking a moment to familiarize himself with the controls he closed the bay doors of the ship and eased it out of the shuttle bay. The ODST then guided the dropship up over the top of the Covenant battlecruiser and off towards the engines.

**Shiori Tenshi District, directly below Covenant battlecruiser...**

Lina Chu Long ran alongside her Marine friends as they fought towards the gravity lift at the belly of the Covenant ship. The Pandora carried a pair of kukri-style knives for her Volt Weapons, a long length of supple cord running between the handles of the two weapons. As she and the Marines pushed down the freeway towards the Covenant ship she used the weapons to great extent, swinging the blades on the end of the cord and using them to cut down multiple Covenant soldiers with each pass.

Their forces had faced only mild resistance as they made their way to the gravity lift. Lina had to admit that things were going very well.. almost too well.

As they came off of the freeway Lina was in the lead group, Mustard and Simmons on either side of her. The path ahead looked clear as the Marines moved off down the street.

Lina caught motion out of the corner of her eye and struck. Her blade bounced off of a large disk of energy, behind which a figured crouched and fired a few plasma bolts at the Marines from its clawlike weapon.

Activating her stigmata a bit further, Lina launched herself towards the enemy at high speed. The Marines only saw a brief flash of motion as the girl got around the shield-bearing Jackal. Suddenly the inside of the semi-transparent shield became coated in blood and it and its wielder dropped to the ground. Lina examined the dead Jackal, having cut its throat with her Volt Weapon.

The creature was short and frail-looking, with the clawed feet of a bird and thick, heavy clothing covering its torso and legs but leaving its feet, arms, and neck exposed. Its hands were clawlike and ended in sharp nails. The head of this creature looked halfway between a bird and a horse skull, with rows of sharp teeth inside its beak-like mouth and a fringe of featherlike spines on its head. Its skin was a dull yellow color, all wrinkled and sunken as if the creature had spent a long time in the desert.

"Ugly bastard, isn't it?" Simmons said. She fired a few rounds from her assault rifle into the creature, splattering more blood. "Jackals. They're wicked snipers and trackers."

Lina turned away from the creature and hurried to catch up with the other Marines, Simmons following her. "I think I'm going to have nightmares about that thing," the Pandora complained.

"Join the club." Simmons took up her position next to Oseguera once more and moved on towards the objective, rifle held at the ready.

"Hey, did ya hear about the backup divisions?" Oseguera asked of Simmons. The Marine shook her head, prompting Oseguera to continue talking. "Apparently they sent in a few divisions from the UK for backup. West Genetics is running way low on troops."

Simmons snorted. "Let me guess, those extra divisions are running around out here tonight?"

"Nah man. Well, one group did come out to provide Limiter support to CP4 before it went dark. I ain't heard much but it sounds like they got scattered when CP4 got overrun."

Lina was about to chime in on the conversation when a sudden call came from the middle of the column of Marines. Gunfire began to sound, mixing with the whine of plasma weapons. Lina turned and ran towards the fighting. A Covenant detachment had flanked their forces, coming down a side street and laying into the Marines. Already there were a few bodies lying in the street, the first casualties of the skirmish. Lina charged into the thick of the battle, using her Accel skills to quickly close the distance between herself and the Covenant forces.

Bullets screamed past the Pandora as she lit into the Covenant troops with her blades. The enemy wasn't very numerous yet, only consisting of a handful of Jackals and a couple dozen Grunts. Lina swung her blades at the ends of their cord, cutting into the aliens and tearing them to ribbons. The purple blood of the Jackals mixed with the bright blue of the Grunts, painting the walls and ground with death. In a matter of moments the Covenant had been slain. Lina caught her weapons and surveyed the destruction for a moment.

A moment was all she got, however. A sound caught her ears and she look up. Hundreds of Covenant were bearing down on her from the street that ran parallel with the one the UNSC forces were on. Elites, Jackals, Grunts, and Brutes were all rushing along the street, focused on her. Behind the infantry were a trio of their massive Wraith tanks. She knew the UNSC would have no chance if this force cut around behind them..

"Run!" she yelled to the Marines. "Get up ahead and cut back around, you'll be able to hit them from behind!" The Marines set off. All but three of them. Simmons, Oseguera, and Mustard ran towards Lina as the girl charged the oncoming Covenant. But they weren't the only ones with eyes on the girl...

**Moments Before...**

Rack-Em glared down at the street below, searching for the source of the sounds he was hearing. Beside him stood Holly Rose, the UK Pandora whom he'd saved from a pack of Jiralhanae. The Pandora didn't seem pleased with having to wait, but she also didn't seem as if she wanted to leave the company of the ODST that had helped her.

They'd been wandering for some time, occasionally running across Covenant forces but not finding anything that might've guided them back to UNSC-held territory. If anything it felt like they were getting further and further behind enemy lines. Finally they'd decided to hole up in an office building. Now they stood on the fourth floor, watching the street below from a window.

"I'm sure I heard something," Rack-Em said. "Sounded like Scorps... I'd bet my last bullet on it." He looked back out the window just as something came into view. "Grunts, down low," he muttered. "Looks like Jackholes too... no Elites though. Odd. Wait..." His eyes caught motion down the crossstreet opposite the building they were in. Lots of motion. "Shit, that's not just a patrol... those guys mean business." Holly moved near him at that point, watching as well. She pointed silently down at the street, where the group of Grunts and Jackals had just been butchered by a single Pandora. The girl yelled at someone neither of them could see to run and once again Rack-Em caught the sound of engines and boots. He realized what the girl was about to do and knew she wouldn't last on her own.

Moving with practiced ease, the ODST stuck his pistol to the magnetic holder on his hip and swapped out for his sniper rifle. He checked the load and catch on the massive weapon then brought it to his shoulder.. only to have it pushed down by Holly Rose.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

"You can't save her," Holly said in an emotionless tone. "You will only give our position away and get us killed. It'd be better to let her die and observe the enemy to learn their exact numbers and..."

"To hell with that!" Rack-Em said angrily. "You can hide if you want lady, but I'm not leaving a fellow soldier to die down there. Not while I have breath in my body and bullets in my mag!" He shoved her aside and brought his rifle back up. It took him a second to select his targets, then he fired his weapon.

The first shot was a perfect hit directly between the eyes of a silver-armored Elite. The bullet punched through the Elites shields and splattered the contents of its brain across the nearest Covenant. The rest of the aliens halted, searching for the sniper that had just killed their commanding officer. More shots came from the ODST, dropping two Elite Majors and a Brute Chieftain he'd recognized by the flag the beast wore on its back. As he dropped his magazine he realized that his position was compromised... but he couldn't move. It would take too much time to get to another floor, and none of the other rooms on this floor would give him this great of a view. He had no choice...

Plasma fire tore through the building as the Covenant opened up on him. A bolt sizzled past his head, making his face hot even through the protective shell. He finished reloading and pulled the charging handle back. As he took aim he spotted a Grunt with a fuel rod cannon, a bulky tan construct with a rack of glowing green rods loaded into the back. There was no time to take the Grunt down. The cannon barked, sending one of the highly explosive green rods rocketing up at the ODSTs position. Rack-Em closed his eyes, figuring it was all over.

He heard the rod detonate but didn't feel himself being incinerated. His eyes opened to find a dozen or so swords, identical to the one Holly carried, floating in an arc outside the building and intercepting the incoming Covenant fire. Holly Rose stood beside him, concentrating on her technique. "I can't buy you much time," she said. "Make what I can give you count."

"Roger that," Rack-Em said. Four more rifle blasts echoed through the streets; four more ranking Covenant troops went down with large holes in what was left of their heads while the knife-wielding Pandora tore into their cannon fodder with a renewed savagery. Another reload came, then four more shots. He dropped his empty mag for the third time, reaching for yet another.

Out in the distance, on one of the rooftops above the Covenant forces, a Jackal with a triangular weapon made of some sort of grey metal was taking aim on Holly. Rack-Em was in the middle of a reload so he couldn't countersnipe the Jackal. Instead he threw himself at Holly, taking her to the ground and getting her out of the way of the Jackals particle beam just as it fired. The beam ignored Hollys defense technique and tore through the ODSTs armor, cutting across his chest and puncturing a lung. The Pandora and ODST hit the floor and Rack-Em rolled to the side. Red blood splattered against the inside of his visor as he began to cough.

"Carson!" Holly Rose knelt at the ODSTs side, feeling stunned by what had just happened. "Stay alive, Carson!"

Rack-Em coughed again and sat up, grunting from the pain. "I'm fine," he lied. "Where's my rifle?"

"Lay still," the Pandora said. "You're not in any condition to worry about your weapon."

"Fuck that." The ODST found his fallen weapon and dragged it a bit closer. He stood up and picked up the rifle. The bipod legs swung down and he rested the weapon on the frame of the window he'd been firing from, kneeling down and finishing his reload before lining up a shot on the Jackal that had shot him. The rifle spoke once more and the aliens head exploded in a shower of bone and meat.

"Off the rock, through the bush, nothing but Jackal," Rack-Em muttered.

**Meanwhile...**

Alexis glanced back at the trio following her. It seemed that the blonde girls regenerative abilities had finally been able to overcome the Needer hit. She was moving slowly but supporting her own weight now, although her Limiter friend was still sticking close to her. The other girl had produced her weapons, a set of gloves and boots with metal armor plates, and was following a short distance behind the other two.

Ranas caution was unneeded, however, as it seemed the Covenant had completely neglected the citys sewer system. They made their way through the darkened tunnels in search of one of the UNSC positions, although they had no idea if they were on the right path or where their objective might be.

Secretly, Alexis was becoming more and more frantic. She couldn't banish the thoughts of what might be happening to Gabe aboard the Covenant battlecruiser. Was her partner being tortured for information? Perhaps beaten to within an inch of his life? Or was he being eaten alive by those monsters? The thoughts were almost too much for the Pandora to handle. It was only by clinging to what he'd taught her about duty that she was able to stay somewhat focused on getting the three younger students out alive.

"Alexis-sempai, did you hear that?!" The Limiters voice shook Alexis from her thoughts of Gabe. She felt a prickle of annoyance at the sound of the Japanese honorific but didn't comment on it. Instead she listened for the sound Kazuya had heard.

There, above them, were the sounds of battle. Alexis felt a slight shock when she caught a familiar voice shouting, followed by the sound of rifle fire and Covenant weapons. Her eyes found a ladder leading up to the street.

"Alright, we're going up. Those are friendlies up there." She reached for the ladder then paused for a second and looked back at Kazuya. "Hey, kid..."

"Yes Sempai?"

"Don't ever call me that again." She set off up the ladder at that point, not giving him a chance to reply.

It didn't take much to dislodge the manhole cover once she reached it. The Pandora poked her head up to find herself between three UNSC Marines who had taken cover and were providing Lina Chu Long with covering fire as she tore into a massive division of Covenant. Alexis took off to join her, the three underclassmen coming out of the manhole one-by-one behind her.

"Lina!" Alexis cried out. "I'm coming!"

"No!" Lina cut down a pair of Jackals then turned to Alexis. "There's a Marine up there in that building. I think he's hurt! Go help him, Alexis!"

"But you can't take all of these guys alone!" Alexis said.

"She doesn't have to." This came from the blond Pandora, Satellizer. The girl had brought out her own weapon and was walking past Alexis, the other two following behind her. "We'll support your friend."

Alexis hesitated then nodded. "Make sure you idiots survive," she said. "I don't want you dying before I can make you pay for getting Gabriel captured." With those words she turned and ran for the building Lina had indicated. She could see a large rifle with a boxy muzzle brake poking out of one of the windows. Apparently that was her target.

It wasn't hard to find her way into the building and up to where the sniper had set up. When she entered the room she found the wounded ODST slumped against a Pandora in a blue uniform. The other Pandora looked up at Alexis as she entered.

"He's dying," the Pandora said. "We need to get him help, and quick."

Alexis knelt next to the downed ODST, checking his wounds. He had a single entry wound in his chestplate and an exit wound under his right arm. She could tell by the way he was breathing that the shot had punctured his lung.

Rack-Em watched Alexis as she investigated him, recognizing her from the night they'd landed. "You're Pinpoints friend, aintcha? The one he was all worried about the night we got here?"

Alexis nodded. "I'm Alexis Tannar, Gabriel's partner. You're one of his squadmates, are you not?"

"Yeah. Corporal Josh Carson. The guys call me Rack-Em."

Alexis rested a hand on the Helljumpers shoulder. "You're going to be alright, Corporal. Just lie still and take slow, easy breaths." She looked up at the other Pandora. "Stay with him. Keep talking to him. Don't let him fall asleep, alright? And that goes for you too." Her attention went back to Rack-Em. "Keep talking to your friend here. Don't let yourself sleep, alright? Focus on her and what she's saying." She stood up at that point and turned towards the door. "I'm going to go find you a medic."

Once she was back in the street Alexis made her way towards the trio of Marines that were covering Lina. Off in the distance she could hear a sudden outbreak of gunfire and explosions. One of the enemy tanks exploded, killing upwards of twenty Covenant who were too close to the vehicle when it blew up. Apparently another UNSC force had engaged the Covenant from the side.

"Excuse me," Alexis asked of the three. "Is one of you a medic?"

Mustard nodded. "I'm not a medic but I've got a field kit and I've had medical training."

"There's an ODST in that building up there." She pointed to where the soldiers rifle was still resting on the windowsill. "He's hurt pretty badly. Some sort of puncture, like a bullet or something. He needs help."

Mustard looked at the other two then nodded. "Take over for me down here," he said. "I'll go help your Helljumper."

"Thank you," Alexis said. "May I borrow your rifle? And some ammo if you've got it?" she added as an afterthought.

The Marine raised an eyebrow but nodded, handing her his weapon and a pouch full of magazines from his belt. "You've got four spares in there. Don't waste 'em." With that the Marine took off for the building.

Alexis, meanwhile, ran up to the Limiter she'd been dragging through the sewers. She handed the surprised boy the borrowed battle rifle and hooked the belt pouch to the side of his vest. "Try not to hit any of us, kid," she said. She then left him and ran to join Lina and the other two Pandoras. The two second-year Pandoras were doing a fair amount of damage. Alexis took a moment to watch the one with the eye-tattoo deliver a bonebreaking kick to the stomach of a Brute before moving on to join Lina.

"The ODST is being tended to," she said as she reached Lina.

"Good. Nice of you to join us by the way," Lina said brightly. "It looks like the Marines took my advice and flanked the enemy. We might be able to win this after all!"

"What's our objective?" Alexis asked.

"The Marines want to push the enemy ship out to sea so they can take it down with the guns on their own ship." At this Alexis looked up at the long shadow against the stars that was the Ace of Spades. The mighty warship had turned it's nose towards the Covenant vessel to provide a smaller target, but the Legendary Pandoras protecting the ship seemed to be faltering under the Covenant battlecrusiers many guns. Fires raged along the flanks of the Ace and large sections of her armor had been melted away. Things were not looking well for the human vessel.

"And how do we, soldiers on the ground, convince a starship to leave?" Alexis asked doubtfully.

"Apparently the enemy will get scared and run away if we can take that purple beam thingy up there... oh what did they call it..."

"Gravity lift?"

"Yeah, that's it." Lina paused long enough to drop an Elite that had gotten too close before continuing. "They think the enemy ship will be more willing to run away if we take the gravity lift."

Alexis shook her head. "It's not a very good plan... but I'm with you all the way Lina. I just need to get these three back to.."

"To hell with that!" Satellizer glared at Alexis, Covenant blood dripping from her weapon. "We've come this far, Tannar. Besides... it's my fault your partner was taken. The least I can do to repay him is make sure his enemies die."

Alexis glared right back at the girl but nodded. "Just don't come crying to me if you wind up dead." She looked at the other Pandoras leg. "You seem to be alright now..."

"I just needed to get the rest of the crystal bits out of me. It hurts but I can fight."

"Wait wait wait," Lina interrupted. "Did something happen to Gabe?"

Alexis turned away from the two and started towards what remained of the Covenant division they faced. "Let's just get the job done, you two." She really didn't want to think about her captured partner at that moment. There would be time to mourn him after the mission was complete.

**UNSC Ace of Spades, outer hull foredeck, twenty-five minutes later...**

Windy May knew things were bad. She was feeling beyond drained from the effort it was taking to deflect the incoming plasma torpedoes from the Covenant battlecruiser. Her sisters, Lucy and Cassandra, were wearing down fast as well.

The three sisters were stationed on the nose of the massive colony ship. Lucy Renalt, a silver-haired Legendary Pandora who had, until recently, been disguising herself as a member of the Valkyrie project, was standing on the right side of the foredeck while Cassandra, the tall blonde possessing a supernatural beauty and a weapon partway between a massive cannon and a sword, was on the left. Windy herself stood above the bridge. All three Pandora were pouring as much of their own energy as they could into their Volt Barriers, extending and combining the barriers into a shield for the front of the ship. With the vessel aimed nose-first at the Covenant battlecruiser they had a smaller area to defend, but it was still incredibly hard. Any other Pandora would have been killed if they'd tried to do this. Luckily, these three were no average Pandoras.

But even the Legendary Pandoras, with their colossal strength and inhuman abilities, were running out of steam. Windy May could barely keep her eyes open at this point. But she knew she had to keep going, for the sake of the hundreds of UNSC soldiers still on the Ace of Spades and the tens of thousands of UNSC and Chevalier soldiers, civilians, and students down below. Somewhere down there, her nephew was probably caught up in this mess as well...

Even that thought wasn't enough to keep Windy going, however. She saw Lucy collapse out of the corner of her eye. Windy turned to Cassandra to ask her to check on their sibling, only to find that the tall blonde had fallen as well. A fresh barrage of brilliant blue plasma bolts, dubbed 'torpedoes,' erupted from the wounded Covenant battlecruiser, heading straight for the Ace. Windy was able to stop one of them, but then the world around her went black and she hit the metal deck of the ship...

**Shiori Tenshi District, city park directly below Covenant battlecruiser...**

Jeremy-049 led the charge into the park the Covenant had used as a staging area, roughly six hundred Marines and thirty vehicles behind him. They'd taken some losses on the way but they'd made it. There was no sign of the CP2 group, but he could see the forces from command post five engaging the Covenant on the other side of the square. A white-haired Pandora with a double-bladed scythe was among the first into battle, followed by three more Pandoras and young Japanese Limiter with a BR-55. The kid had adapted well to the weapon, taking down Grunts left and right with clean headshots.

Teslad ran alongside Jeremy as the SPARTAN rushed forth into battle, his assault rifle spraying the Covenant with bursts of lead. The Legendary Pandora was keeping up in terms of kills, her high-speed techniques and twin blades being more than a match for the Covenant forces. Jeremy had long since lost count of the number of enemy lives his companion had claimed.

The Covenant forces fought hard, but the double assault by the UNSC slowly broke their forces. Alien bodies began to pile high, forcing the Marines to slow down as they made their way over hundreds upon hundreds of dead Covenant.

It was almost over with. Every human soldier, be they UNSC or Chevalier, could feel it in the air. Their victory appeared to be at hand.

The roar of a massive explosion grated on every ear. Marines searched this way and that for the source of the noise. Jeremy himself couldn't pinpoint it, but apparently someone else could.

"The Ace! She's been hit!"

At this cry from one of the Marines Jeremy looked up at the ship in question. Plasma torpedoes were impacting all along her hull. Gouts of flame roiled forth from the holes blown in her armor by the Covenant warships superior weapons. As he watched a torpedo struck her in the midsection, setting off a chain of explosions through her hull. The injured colony ship began to list. The roar of her engines filled the air as the ship accelerated, blowing past the Covenant battlecruiser and off towards the port with two of her eight engines belching smoke. Moments later a mighty splash sounded as the two-and-a-half kilometer ship plunged into the Pacific Ocean.

The UNSC lines broke at that point. With the Ace gone their command structure was screwed. Confusion and panic began to set in among the Marines.

"All forces, keep fighting!" Jeremy roared over the TACCOM channel. "We can still win this! Keep pushing the Covenant back! We've almost won!"

The sound of a SPARTAN giving orders seemed to bolster the failing morale of the Marines. The soldiers renewed their assault with a vengeance. Covenant bodies began to pile up even faster as the soldiers, running on fear, adrenaline, and rage, pushed the aliens back. The human battle lines inched closer and closer to the gravity lift...

Suddenly, the purple beam of light that was the gravity lift vanished. A pulsing hum filled the air as the Covenant ships engines came to life. The warship turned slowly overhead and began moving out to sea.. right out to where the Ace had crashed. Over the rooftops Jeremy could see a fiery beam appear from the bottom of the ship, burning the ground and boiling away the water below the warship as it approached the crash site. Jeremy felt his heart skip a beat. That beam was the Covenant ships energy projector, the weapon the Covenant used to glass planets. The intent behind this action was horrifyingly clear: they were going to glass the Ace, the one thing in the world capable of stopping the Covenant ship. Then they were going to glass the rest of the planet.

_(A/N: Yes, I know I'm a total whore when it comes to cliffhangers. I'm okay with that, too.)_


	15. Chapter 15

_(A/N: I don't own Freezing or Halo, and I sure as hell don't own Lament or Reignite. Those songs belong to Bungie and Malukah respectively. Lament is the song from the Halo 3: ODST live-action trailer. If you've never heard Reignite I suggest looking it up on Youtube. It's an amazing song by an amazing singer!)_

**Stolen Type-25 Troop Carrier above Shiori Tenshi District...**

The U-shaped dropship made yet another pass around the battlecruisers engines, its plasma cannon belching round after round at the Covenant ship. So far the effect had been negligible at best.

Inside the cockpit of the dropship, Gabe was hard at work maneuvering the clumsy craft around the larger ship. Samantha van Houten sat at the back of the craft at the gunner station, using the ships turret to lob shot after shot at the enemy.

Alarms began to sound from the pilot station. Gabe checked one of the displays to find the enemy cruiser launching yet another salvo of plasma torpedoes at the Ace of Spades. As he watched the torpedoes found their mark. The dropship shook as the Ace accelerated past them, aiming for the ocean so the crash wouldn't kill innocent people on the ground. It splashed down in the ocean, its nose dipping under the water for a few seconds. The ship quickly rightened itself and floated there in the water like a boat.

"Son of a bitch," Gabe whispered.

The Covenant ship began to move at that point, making a wide arc over the city and heading out to sea. Gabe settled the dropship in the cruisers blind spot: directly behind the engines. The Covenant ship made straight for the Ace, firing its energy projector straight down in anticipation.

"What should we do?" Samantha asked.

What could they do? Gabe ran through every scenario he'd ever seen, trained for, or read about. There was nothing about taking out a CCS-class battlecruiser with a Spirit dropship. It just didn't seem possible.

Or did it? He thought back to the fall of Reach. While his squad was escaping he'd heard talk about a SPARTAN that had taken down a Scarab walker with a DD77 Pelican dropship. Gabe looked at the Covenant cruiser on his display then nodded. It probably wouldn't work, but it was all he could think to do.

The stolen dropship arced off away from the cruiser, engines running at full power.

**UNSC Ace of Spades bridge, Pacific Ocean...**

The bridge of the Ace of Spades was a mess and a half. The lights had gone out so the only light came from the displays and a shower of sparks coming from some damaged system or another. Many of the command crew had been injured in the crash and the comm officer had been killed when her console had exploded.

Admiral Lucia Hartman stood at the ships holotable, watching the Covenant battlecruiser coming their way. Various damage reports were coming in but she wasn't listening. She was too busy trying to find a way to save her ship and her crew. Her eyes studied the holographic display before her.

She noticed a small speck with a green indicator moving away from the cruiser at high speed. "Lodestone, what am I seeing here?" she asked.

The AI was quiet for a moment. "Ship configuration matches a Type-25 troop carrier. I'm detecting an infantry IFF tag and a Pandora signature within the ship."

"An IFF? Whose?"

"Corporal Gabriel Kinkaid. I cannot identify the Pandora. However, reports indicate that fourth-year Samantha van Houten was captured by a special operations Sangheili just as Corporal Kinkaid was. There is a high likelyhood that the Pandora is van Houten."

Hartman watched as the dropship sped off then turned around and came back, moving at high speed on an intercept course with the Covenant ship. Realization hit the Admiral. She knew exactly what Gabe was about to do.. and she could help him succeed.

"Lodestone! Arm two Shiva warheads, set them for impact detonation! Launch all remaining Archer missiles and fire all port deck guns! Calculate the dropships point of impact and focus your fire there!" The bridge went silent for a moment. "Did I fucking stutter?!" Hartman snapped. At once the crew went back to work.

The ship rocked with the power of the quad-barreled mini-MAC deck guns, each one spitting four-foot long slugs with enough power to gut a Phantom with a single hit. Hundreds of Archer ship-to-ship missiles blew free of the Ace of Spades and streaked off towards the Covenant battlecruiser. The Covenant ship opened fire with her point-defense lasers, destroying a third of the oncoming missiles. The rest of the missiles and the rounds from the deck guns impacted near the stern of the battlecruiser, blowing away armor and framework.

A moment later two large missiles fired from the front of the Ace of Spades and rocketed up out of the water, trailing vapor from their wingtips. The two Shiva missiles raced off to join the stolen Spirit dropship. The missiles fell into formation behind the ship, one on either side of the cockpit. They were tucked close to the dropship, allowing them to use the ships hull for cover as they approached the Covenant vessel.

'I hope this works,' Hartman thought to herself.

**Stolen Type-25 Troop Carrier, Pacific Ocean...**

The bay doors of the dropship opened, revealing a shirtless ODST and a Pandora. The pair stood in the troop bay, feeling the wind tearing at them as the ship raced at top speed towards the Covenant vessel. Samantha looked at the water racing by far below then up at Gabe.

"I don't wanna do this!" she yelled.

"No choice!" Gabe yelled back. "FEET FIRST INTO HELL!" With that battlecry the ODST jumped from the ship, plunging towards the water below. Samantha followed him, maneuvering close to the ODST.

The two locked hands, plunging towards the ocean below at high speed. Samantha looked at Gabe, a grim smile on her lips. "I guess there's worse people to die with, Kinkaid!" she yelled.

"To hell with dying!" Gabe pulled Samantha towards himself, hugging her in an attempt to make themselves as small a target as possible. The Pandora looked up over his arm in surprise just in time to see the words "U.S.S. FUKUUP" flash past on a piece of metal.

Pelican F290 pulled into a perfectly vertical nosedive next to the falling pair, racing them towards the water. The ships engines cut out once it was below them. The thruster arrays rotated downward and fired once again, slowing the ship down. The door of the troop bay opened up and the Pelican slowed further, swallowing the ODST and Pandora. The ship then rotated into a horizontal position and fired its thrusters again to slow it even further. Gabe and Samantha hit the floor and rolled apart. The Pelicans engines fired up once again, sending the ship rocketing off towards the city and away from the Covenant battlecruiser.

Gabe stood up and moved to the door of the troop bay. Samantha watched from the floor, not trusting her legs just yet. As they watched the twin vapor trails from the Shiva missiles vanished into a fireball caused by the speeding Spirit crashing into the Covenant battlecruiser. For a second nothing else happened.

Inside the Covenant ship, the dropship punched through eight layers of hallways and came to a halt near the center of the cruiser. When it did the two Shiva missiles impacted, detonating inside the battlecruiser. The massive EMP caused by the 'clean' nuke was diffused by the Covenant ships hull, but that didn't stop the explosion itself. Thermal and kinetic energy expanded into a massive ball of flame that burned hotter than the sun itself. Heat and force slammed against the material of the cruiser, superheating it and causing it to boil away. The blast vaporized the massive warship in a matter of seconds.

As the bright light of the explosion faded it revealed a fiery mushroom cloud that had formed, towering above the spot where the Covenant battlecruiser had flown mere seconds previously.

"Mother of God," Samantha whispered.

**Shiori Tenshi District, Former Covenant LZ...**

The sight of their cruiser being blown away in a cloud of nuclear fire caused the surviving Covenant forces to lose heart. Many tried to flee while others, such as the Elites, simply stood and allowed the humans to slaughter them. Either way, the battle didn't last much longer than the battlecruiser had.

One human stood watching the mushroom cloud, tears running down her face. Alexis felt as if her heart was in a vice. Lina stepped up beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder, worried for her.

"What is it?" Lina asked softly over the sounds of the battle.

"Gabriel..." Alexis whispered. "Gabriel was on that ship.."

Linas eyes went to the mushroom cloud, her eyes wide. "I'm sure he made it off," she said. "He's tough and he's smart! He's probably the one that caused that explosion!" Alexis looked at her friend, her eyes unfocused. Lina grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "Come on, you have to have some faith in him! I know he'll come back to you, I just know it!" By this point Lina was fighting back tears too. The two girls embraced each other, one praying to be right and the other praying to be wrong.

The sound of Jeremy-049 giving orders caught Linas attention. "All forces fall back!" he said. "Regroup at CP3. We'll reorganize there!"

At the SPARTANs command the UNSC and Chevalier forces began to move. The soldiers gathered equipment and secured the wounded and the dead. They'd won the battle but it felt like a pyrrhic victory. The dead and injured were loaded into Warthogs or strapped to the bodies of Scorpion tanks while the uninjured walked alongside the vehicles. Lina led Alexis along, her arm around the other girls shoulder as they walked in the midst of a squad of ODSTs from a unit similar to the one Gabe was a part of.

No one spoke for a long time as they marched, the sound of boots and the engines of the vehicles were the only noise to be heard. The silence pressed in on Linas mind, making her feel even worse. Finally she decided she couldn't take it anymore, and so the young Pandora began to sing.

"Hope can drown, lost in the thunderous sound.

Fear can claim what little hope remains."

The Marines began to listen to her. Another Pandora somewhere in the formation joined in the song, then a third and fourth.

"I will never surrender,

we'll free the Earth and sky!"

The chorus swelled around them as a few Marines joined in. More voiced added to the song in the second verse, and by the second chorus almost every soldier was singing, be they Chevalier or UNSC. Alexis and the SPARTAN-IIs were pretty much the only ones not singing by the end of the song.

The moment the song finished the squad of ODSTs around Lina began to sing a song of their own. It was in a language she didn't know but it tugged at her heart all the same.

"What's this song called?" she asked one of the troopers nearest her.

"Not a clue," he replied. "But every Helljumper knows it. It's kinda our other unofficial anthem."

"Do you know what it means?"

"Yeah.." The trooper took a second to remember then recited the lines. "We cheat Death from his rightful victory. No one can defeat us. We are glad to plunge feet first into Hell in the knowledge that we will rise."

Alexis raised her head at this point, suddenly taking notice in the conversation. "Those words..." she whispered. "I know them from somewhere..."

"Didn't Gabe have them tattooed on his back, right underneath that weird skull emblem thing?" Lina offered. Around them, the Marines had begun singing a song about how they could all die at the sunrise, and how they would face the end with honor and pride.

Alexis nodded and fell silent once more. Those were the words alright. The words Gabe carried with him everywhere he went. They obviously meant something to him, just as they seemed to mean something to the rest of these troopers. Her heart grew even heavier with the knowledge that she would never get to ask her ODST just what the words meant to him.

**Shiori Tenshi District, UNSC Command Post 3, forty-five minutes later...**

As the forces began to arrive at the elementary school that served as Command Post Three, one ODST had already being tended to in the field hospital that had been set up in the schools gymnasium and was now resting in an empty classroom.

Corporal Josh Carson, better known as Rack-Em, was sitting up on a table. His armor had been removed so that the medics could tend to him. Now he sat there, wearing only his boots and a pair of black BDU pants. Bandages ran around his chest to secure and protect his wound, which had been packed with biofoam to speed up the healing. His trusty rifle rested against the table, battered but in working order.

Carsons eyes went to the person sitting in a plastic chair next to the table. Holly Rose, the UK-based Pandora that he'd rescued, was sitting with her hands folded on her lap. She'd stolen a civilian car and used it to get him to the command post, even going so far as to carry him into the infirmary herself. Now she sat at his side, her eyes on the floor.

"I owe ya one," Carson said. "If there's ever anything I can do for you, let me know alright?" The Pandora nodded but didn't speak. Carson began to feel a bit anxious and so he looked for another subject.

"So... you're a Pandora, huh?" Holly gave no answer.

"Got any stories?" Again, no answer.

"Alright, that's it." The ODST got to his feet, wincing at the pain that shot through his chest at the sudden movement. "What's eatin you, lady?"

There was no reply, but this time it seemed as if the Pandora might say something after all. However, she never got the chance to say anything.

The door of the classroom slammed open and a young man entered. The guy was on the short side but still well-built. He had long blond hair and blue eyes, and even Carson had to admit that the guy was beautiful in a manly way. He was also wearing a Limiter uniform and a foul expression.

"Having fun?" the guy asked Holly. Holly kept her mouth shut, eyes still on the floor. The Limiter approached her and, before Carson could react, slapped her across the face. "I'm speaking to you!" the Limiter shouted.

"Dude, back the fuck off!" Carson took a step towards the Limiter, his fists clenching at his side. The Limiter looked him over, one eyebrow raised.

"And who are you, barbarian?" The ODST felt himself bristling at the Limiters tone.

"Corporal Carson, UNSC Marines. Get away from the lady. You hit her again and I'll fuck you up."

The blond Limiter laughed aloud. "And what makes you think you have ANY right to tell me how to treat my toy?" He took a step towards Carson, who felt his stomach turning. "Holly, do you have any objections to me teaching this barbarian a lesson?"

Holly Rose shook her head, much to Carson's surprise. "No, Master," she said in a subdued voice.

The truth behind what was happening around Carson was still unclear, but the ODST didn't have too much time to think about it before the blond Limiter punched him in the chest. Carson fell to his knees, coughing blood. A red stain appeared on his bandages and slowly began to spread from his reopened wound. The Limiter slammed his knee into Carson's face then punched him in the nose, knocking him to the ground. "Have you learned your lesson yet?" he asked of the ODST.

Before Carson could answer Holly stood up. "Please, don't do this. He's hurt as it is. If you keep doing this you'll.." She was cut off as the Limiter backhanded her with enough force to knock her to the ground. The girl wiped blood from her lip and looked up at Luis, her eyes wide.

"You just be a good little bitch and stay right there. I'll deal with you once I've had my fun with this piece of shit." He turned back to Carson, pulling the ODST up by his dogtags and raising his fist once more.

He was the only one who didn't notice the three large men in black armor enter the room behind him.

Davis, Tate, and Rex had been directed to this room by one of the medics. Upon entering they saw Luis hit the Pandora then turn his attention to Carson once more. As he let fly he suddenly found his arm being restrained. He turned to see the three ODSTs standing behind them. Rex, a muscular mountain of a black man with a cigar and a bald head, had Luis's arm in his grip. The ODSTs other fist came up into the Limiters stomach.

"You alright Rack-Em?" Davis asked, kneeling by his subordinate.

"Yeah, I'm fine Sarge." He looked at Holly, who was still on the floor and watching the proceedings in shocked silence.

Luis struggled against the black man's grip in vain. "I'll kill you all for this!" he raged. Rex grinned and looked to the sergeant.

"This kid's in dire need of an attitude adjustment, Sarge. Should we accommodate him?"

Davis looked from Holly to Carson then to Rex. "I think so," he said. "Let's see how brave he is when he's not facing a girl and an injured guy." He stood up and nodded to Holly Rose. "We'll be back soon. Mind looking after Rack-Em until we get back?" The Pandora nodded, still stunned by the counterattack. Davis smiled at her then grabbed Luis by his other arm. "Come on, buddy. Let's go play 'hang the douchebag out to dry.'"

_(A/N: Gonna keep this part nice and short to avoid making it too gruesome and having to change the rating to MA.)_

The trio of Helljumpers dragged Luis out behind an outbuilding then turned him loose. At once the guy backed away, finding himself surrounded as the ODSTs spread into a semi-circle and left him without a way to escape.

"You really fucked up," Davis said in a low voice. "You attacked one of ours. We Helljumpers look after our own, Goldilocks."

"And? What can you do about it?" Luis shot back. "I'm the heir to the el Bridget family. I'm untouchable."

Davis looked to Rex then to Tate, a shorter Caucasian man with a black mohawk. "El Bridget, huh? Does that mean anything to either of you?" The two ODSTs shook their head. "Me neither." Davis pulled his knife at that point. The Limiters eyes went wide at the sight of the combat knife.

"What do you think you're doing?!" His voice sounded scared for the first time. "This is murder, you barbarians!"

"Who said anything about killing you? We're just gonna have some fun with you." Davis darted forward and grabbed the male by his hair, yanking his head back. The knife cut through Luis's hair easily. Davis repeated the process a few times until Luis was left with a ragged mess where his once perfect, beautiful locks had grown.

"I'll kill you!" the Limiter raged. He swung at Davis, only to find himself knocked back by the sergeant's fist connecting with his face. While the other two watched the Sergeant pinned the Limiter to the ground and delivered a series of blows. He then dragged the Limiter to his feet and shoved him towards Rex, who grinned and drove his knee into the Limiters abdomen. This game of pass-the-Limiter continued for some time. Eventually Luis stopped fighting, being too tired and too sore to even speak let alone resist what was happening.

"Anyone got any tape?" Davis asked as they finally backed off from the Limiter. Tate, the teams explosives specialist, handed him a roll of black tape from his kit. The sergeant moved in again, taping Luis's hands behind his back and his mouth closed. He then used his knife to cut the Limiters clothing off, leaving the guy completely naked. Together the three soldiers hoisted the Limiter up and taped him to the wall, securing his wrists and ankles to the metal building. They then set off back to the classroom and left him there, where he wouldn't be found until a Pelican pilot flying by noticed him a few hours later.

Meanwhile, Holly Rose continued taking care of Carson. As the others left the ODST looked to the Pandora.

"So who the hell was that guy?" he asked.

"Luis el Bridget," she whispered. "My Limiter."

Carson raised an eyebrow at this. "Why the hell did you partner up with a piece of shit like that?" he asked.

"I didn't know he was that way at first. I thought he was a nice guy. But once we performed our Baptism everything changed. He started to dominate me. I just went along with it because I knew I couldn't say no to him. If I did… well, his family is well-connected. He could've ruined my life and the lives of everyone I've ever known. So I just.. did what he told me to. He became my 'master' with hardly any effort."

"Damn… that's fucked up." Carson couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"That's not even the half of it." She looked up at the ceiling, eyes glistening in the light. "Luis has a sister, Satellizer. As children he was obsessed with her. He did a lot of the same things to her that he did to me, only a lot worse. I learned this only recently after talking to her. I mean, I always knew he was obsessed with her. He had a picture of her he carried around and he was always talking about her. For me, who had devoted myself to him, it hurt worse than anything I'd ever felt. I loved Luis despite the things he did to me, but all he cared about was his sister." She sighed and paused for a moment, thinking over the events that had led to tonight. "He and I went to Bali, to a resort owned by his family. His sister was there too. When he… was using her, I felt betrayed and alone. I lashed out at Satellizer, the girl that held the place in his heart that should've been mine. Eventually they pushed me over the edge. She started to resist him and we fought. Then, when I was fighting for him with everything I had, he told me I was nothing more than something to pass the time until he had Satellizer back. I… I just couldn't take it anymore."

"What did you do?" Carson asked softly.

"I tried to kill myself and Luis all at once. But Satellizer saved us both. Afterwards I tried to apologize to Luis, but he beat me to it. He apologized to me and promised to change for me. I was so happy. I was going to have a normal relationship with a normal Limiter who wasn't obsessed with molesting his own sister. How stupid I was."

Carson put his arm around her shoulders at this point, hiding the fact that doing so made his chest hurt like hell. "I take it he didn't change?"

"Oh, he changed. For a while it was going well. But then I discovered his diary. As it turns out he was just… posing. He was trying to get close to Satellizer by being a good little brother. Then, when she opened up to him, he was going to reassert himself again and make sure she never strayed again. He caught me reading it though, and that's when the abuse started again." Her head rested against the ODSTs chest. It was clear that she was exhausted, both mentally and physically. "Tonight we got separated in the fighting, but it wasn't accidental. I purposely got cut off from the rest of our unit just to get away from him. That's why I was alone when those ape creatures found me.. and when you saved me." At this point she reached her limit, having fought the nightmarish Covenant and then talked more in the last five minutes than she had in the past two months. The Pandora fell asleep against Carson, who simply watched over her.

Inside, the ODST was furious. That little… thing… had done such horrible things to this girl. Carson wasn't sure how he would do it, but he made a vow anyway to keep Luis from ever harming the Pandora again. As far as he was concerned she was his friend, someone he had bonded with in battle and shed blood with. And he, like his squadmates, wasn't in the business of letting people mistreat his friends. It just wasn't something he could allow.

Davis and the others returned a couple minutes later, looking rather proud of themselves. The sergeant's face fell when he saw the look Carson's face bore. "What's up, kid?" he asked his subordinate. Carson relayed a short version of the story Holly Rose had told him to his sergeant. When he finished Davis let out a low whistle. "Fucking hell… kids got a screw loose, that's for sure."

"I know it's not our business Sarge, but I just can't turn my back on this."

"I know, kid." Davis sat down in the plastic chair that Holly had previously occupied. "It's just not like you to let someone else suffer."

"But what can we do?" Carson shook his head again. "It's not like we have any legal standing here… even if Holly testifies we still can't do anything."

Davis was quiet for a long time. "I don't know, kid. It doesn't look good. But I guess if she wants to she can run with us for a while. At least until we get some semblance of a chain of command back up and running."

"Any word from the Ace?" Carson had heard about the Ace of Spades being shot down but hadn't seen it, nor had he heard anything further.

"They're just fine. Couple people bought it in the crash but for the most part they're fine. The ship's grounded for the time being, though. Communications with the ship are out again, so we won't get any orders for a while. For now, we're just to lick our wounds and wait until it's our turn to go out and hunt down any Covie survivors."

Carson nodded. He was still trying to think of a way to help the Pandora he'd spent most of the night fighting alongside.

**West Genetics Academy, plaza….**

While Luis was being humiliated by the members of Echo Squad, Alexis was sitting on the lawn at the West Genetics Academy. She and the other Pandoras and Limiters had been transported there via Pelican. Some people had gone for dinner, others went to bed. Alexis had called her sister to make sure that she and her godfather were alright, which they were. Now Alexis toyed with her phone, watching the sky. It seemed empty without the Ace of Spades hanging in the air above the school, just as her heart felt empty without Gabriel next to her.

Lina and Charlotte sat on either side of her, watching their friend and trying to think of a way to cheer her up. There wasn't much any of them could say or do, however. For the second time in as many weeks, Alexis had lost her partner.

"I'm sure he'd be proud of you," Charlotte said softly. "You fought like a hero out there and brought back those underclassmen alive." Across the plaza they could see the two second-year Pandoras and the young Limiter, who still carried his borrowed battle rifle. A blond first-year Limiter and a first-year Pandora with short red hair were chattering excitedly and bombarding their rifle-bearing friend with questions.

The roar of engines filled the air as another Pelican swooped into the plaza. A number of Marines gathered around the craft excitedly as it touched down. Charlotte recognized the graffiti-covered ship as the Pelican that had delivered Gabe to the school the day he'd enrolled. It was also the same Pelican that had ferried herself, Gabe, Alexis, and the ODST sergeant to the ship and back the morning Alexis held a gun to Gabe.

A familiar voice drifted across the plaza over the chattering of the Marines. Alexis caught a glimpse of the person disembarking from the Pelican and stood up. Charlotte and Lina, who hadn't seen the person, followed curiously as their friend set off at a quick walk towards the crowd of Marines…

Gabe and Samantha disembarked from Pelican F290 to find themselves suddenly surrounded by dozens of cheering Marines. Rumors of how they'd taken down the Covenant battlecruiser were starting to spread among the UNSC forces and these soldiers were eager to confirm it. Gabe watched Victor, Samantha's limiter, push his way through the crowd and kneel before her. The Limiter began spouting apologies but was cut off when Samantha dragged him to his feet and pulled him into a tight embrace. Gabe smiled and looked away just as a second Genetics student shoved through some Marines.

Gabe barely had time to recognize the white braid and deep blue eyes before him before Alexis shoved him back against the side of the Pelican. He felt her hands pull his face down to hers, then felt her lips press against his in a ravenous, passionate kiss. The Marines went silent, watching in surprise. For nearly a minute the two remained locked at the mouth, then Alexis pulled away and grabbed Gabe by the wrist.

"Come on," she said. "Unless you want me to rip your clothes off right here in front of your comrades."

Gabe followed quickly, still dazed by her sudden assault but not exactly opposed to whatever she might have in mind. Lina and Charlotte watched as Alexis emerged from the crowd with Gabe in tow. The two girls burst into laughter as they realized what was about to happen.

"Well," Charlotte said as she wiped her eyes. "I guess she's finally going to get what she wanted!"

"Yeah," Lina said. "It took them long enough!" The two turned around to head for the cafeteria, both eager for a late dinner.

Upon entering the cafeteria they found Horacio, Lina's Limiter, sitting by himself. The Asian girl crept up behind her partner and threw her arms around him. At first Horacio stood up and prepared to fight, thinking he was being attacked. When he saw Lina's face, however, the Limiter broke down and cried. He hugged her tightly, unable to contain his feelings.

"When the Ace of Spades went down I thought for use you were dead…" he sobbed. "I'm.. I'm so glad you're alright!" Lina held her partner's head against her chest, whispering softly to him. Charlotte walked to their usual table, where Ivan was waiting for her. She sat beside her limiter and looked up at the nearest display, which was showing the news report about the Covenant attack.

"Nearly three thousand are dead or missing tonight as a result of the alien attack. More than half of the casualties are UNSC soldiers who rushed into battle to stop the alien invaders. The UNSC Ace of Spades sustained severe damage and was forced to crash-land in the Pacific Ocean." The feed showed the wounded colony ship floating in the ocean, smoke rising from the fires aboard that the crew hadn't put out yet.

"A crewman aboard the ship gave a statement earlier, claiming that the UNSC was in the process of analyzing the situation. Their initial results indicate that the alien warship was one that they had fought against in their last battle before arriving here, and that they believe the ship was affected by the same phenomenon that brought the Ace of Spades here. UNSC hunter-killer teams are currently sweeping the Shiori Tenshi district in order to eliminate any aliens who might be hiding in the area."

"What a nightmare," Ivan commented.

"Yeah," Charlotte said. She took her partner's hand and held it as they continued to watch the news. The reporter went on to describe the carnage that had been wrought in the city. The aliens had done an incredible amount of damage in their short time on this planet.

**Chevalier Grand Canyon HQ…**

Two high-ranking Chevalier officials sat in an office, watching the news reports coming in from the Orient as well as the various combat reports their forces were sending in. The mood between the two men was grim to say the least.

"Alfred is out of his league here," one of the men said quietly. "These aliens.. these Covenant.. we can't fight something like that! It took a nuke to bring one ship down, and a nuke way more powerful than anything we have I might add!"

"So, what?" the second man asked. "Do you think we should throw our lot in with the visitors?"

"I don't know," the first said. "It'd be treason against the Chevalier… but if we keep on the path we are we will more than likely start a war with the UNSC. And if that happens we'll be doubly screwed if those aliens show up again."

"Well… I've got an idea. I've been planning for a scenario since the incident with the Valkyrie operation. Those UNSC seem to have our best interest at heart, far more than our own leaders do." The second man turned to his computer, pulling open a personnel file. The file had an image of a young woman with red hair. "She's got no reason to trust the Chevalier and every reason to hate us. If we convince her to relay information to the visitors, we'll be in a perfect position to help the UNSC. We can warn them about what's about to happen."

"But will she help us?" The first man watched the screen, reading the details on the woman. "She's got to be fairly anti-Chevalier by this point."

"It's our best chance," the second said. He turned to his friend at this point. "But we have to be sure before we do this. Once started, there's no going back." He held out his hand to the other man. "Are you ready to do this?"

The first man shook the second's hand. "Yeah. Either we do this and we save billions of lives, or we do this and get killed in the process. Either way, we'll be able to rest knowing we've done everything we could for our world and our people."

"Then let's roll the dice." The second man reached for the phone on his desk and dialed the number displayed on his computer screen.

_(A/N: Well, there it is! Chapter 15 is done! Let me know what you think, folks! And I promise, the Chevalier plot will become a lot clearer in Chapter 16. No more vague hints and whatnot… it's even starting to annoy me!)_


	16. Chapter 16

**UNSC Ace of Spades, medical bay, 0823**

The Ace's medical facility was packed the morning after the Covenant attack. Dozens of crewmen had been wounded in the battle and were now being treated. The medical staff rushed this way and that, tending to the wounded. It was clear that none of them had slept the past night.

Three bodies had been fished from the water sometime after the battle. The three Legendary Pandoras that had assisted the Ace were being kept in a corner of the med bay. They were still unconscious but they were otherwise unharmed. A medic checked their vitals occasionally. Other than that the three ladies were left alone.

Cassandra was the first to awaken. As she did she sat up and looked around the bay, watching the wounded being tended to with a sad look in her eyes. She noticed one of the soldiers lying on a bed near her own. He looked as if he was barely eighteen, still youthful despite having gone through Marine boot camp. The boy had bandages wrapped around his chest and looked rather pale from blood loss.

Cassandra, feeling something stirring in her heart at the sight of such a young man in such a state, stood and moved to his bedside. She sat on the edge of his bed and took the young Marines hand. "It will be alright," she whispered.

The Marine looked up at her, his eyes widening slightly as he recognized her. "You're that Legendary gal with the laser cannon, aren't you? You're the one that saved our asses in that last fight against those Elite-looking bastards that attacked your Pandora school, right?" Cassandra nodded at this but didn't say anything. "That's two we owe you for ma'am," the Marine continued. "You ladies were amazing out there… It was like we had angels sitting on our ship swatting plasma torpedoes away with the hand of God itself…" The young soldier began coughing at this point. Flecks of blood flew from his lips and the nearby monitor began to beep urgently.

A tired-looking medic rushed to the soldier's side. "Dammit, stay with me Marine!"

The soldier coughed again and a large amount of blood came bubbling up from within his chest this time. He then fell back against his bed and didn't move. The beeping of the monitor turned into a low whine. Cassandra backed away as two more medics came to help, horrified at the sight before her. A single tear ran down the Pandora's cheek.

"I guess even alien freaks cry," a cold voice said from nearby. Cassandra turned around to see a woman in the lightly-armored uniform of a UNSC pilot. She had deep bloodred hair tied in a ponytail that reached her neck and her green eyes were locked on the Legendary Pandora with a calculating gaze, as if she was sizing the other woman up. "Kinda fuckin' funny that you'd cry over one of ours though."

Cassandra glared at the woman, clearly offended. "At least someone weeps for him," she said angrily.

The pilot, whose uniform identified her as Warrant Officer Sarah Williams, gave a short laugh at these words. "I'm sure his folks will cry a fuckin' river for him assuming they're still alive. But that's our life, lady. We fight and we die. There comes a point where crying just doesn't mean a damn thing anymore."

"How can you say this?" Cassandra sounded furious at these words, and as she spoke more tears began to flow from her orange-irised eyes. "What if that was your son there?" Just saying those words caused the Pandora to feel a stab of pain as she imagined her nephew, the Limiter named Kazuya, dying on that bed instead.

"It could be the King of fuckin' England lying there for all I care," Williams shot back. "I fuckin' hate it when Marines die, but crying like a little bitch wouldn't do a damn thing to help them. The only thing that will help is to kill every last motherfucker responsible for his death, and to do that we have to focus on the job. Shit like crying just gets in the way."

"Is that all life is to you?" Cassandra asked in a low voice. "Is life just one long killing?"

Williams rolled her eyes at this comment. "Don't even go there, bitch. I've got things I value just like anyone else. Every one of these Marines has something they fight for and I'm no different." Her expression softened slightly as her eyes went to the dying Marine. "But if we don't stop the Covenant, those things we value will be lost. So yeah, every last one of us has to shelve a portion of our humanity in order to make sure those fuckin' monsters die before they can take away what we value most." Her eyes closed and she turned away from the Pandora, still speaking as she walked off. "Some fuckin' Pandora freak like you wouldn't even begin to understand what we feel. Remember that next time you wanna get all high and fuckin' mighty with us."

Cassandra watched the pilot leave, suddenly feeling her heart breaking for all of the men and women on this ship. They'd given of themselves, even to the point of giving up their own souls for the sake of their people. Even if their war ended in their favor it would leave them all broken inside.

"I'm calling it, oh-eight-thirty." Cassandra turned back to the Marine and the medics to find them unhooking the deceased soldier from the medical equipment. As the gurney carrying the Marines body was rolled past she wondered if these people would ever recover from what they'd been forced into.

**West Genetics Academy, Level B9…**

An older Japanese man stood in his office, watching the news reports about the UNSC and the Covenant attack. The man was fairly tall, with white hair and a clean-shaven face. He had his hands in the pockets of his lab coat and he seemed almost disinterested in the reports despite still watching them. Although that was unsurprising, for this man was Gengo Aoi, the man who had created the Pandora system and the world's foremost expert on stigmata. This man had seen the 'mind' of the Nova themselves. He had seen the truth of their world and of the Nova invasion… and he knew the paths that Humanity had to take in order to survive.

Behind this man was a woman in a wheelchair. This woman wore an old-fashioned dress with a jeweled brooch at her throat. Her red hair fell over her shoulders in elegant waves. Her expression was grim as she watched the man, trying to figure out what was going through his mind.

"Tell me something, Scarlett." The woman jumped slightly as the man spoke to her. "What do you think of these.. UNSC?"

Scarlett took a moment to ponder the question before she answered. "They're fierce, that's for sure. They plunge headfirst into battle and lay waste to whatever they deem a threat to humanity. They're like the cop who gives a child a teddy bear one second then turns around and guns down a group of armed robbers in the next."

The aging doctor was quiet for a few moments as he thought her answer over. "It's rare to see you without Amelia," he finally commented.

At this Scarlett's face flushed slightly. She hadn't told anyone of her bodyguard's true motivation for being around her at all times, but it felt like Gengo knew anyway. "She said something about meeting someone," she said, not wanting to discuss the subject further. Just the thought of her protector made the crippled woman feel small and insignificant.

At that moment a young Korean Pandora entered the room carrying a folder. She wore a sleeker, more adult uniform that marked her as a military Pandora rather than a Genetics student, although the uniform had been opened at the neck in a more relaxed manner than any of the regular military forces.

"I brought the dossier you asked for, Doctor," she said as she set the folder on the desk. "Unfortunately I couldn't get Corporal Kinkaid to join us."

"And why not?" Gengo turned to the Pandora with one eyebrow raised in amusement. "You're usually more persuasive, Su-Na."

Su-Na felt her cheeks reddening slightly. "Well sir… the Corporal and his partner have been locked away in said partner's dorm room since he returned to the Academy last night. I didn't feel it would be proper to disturb them. Especially given the fact that she probably thought he was dead until the moment they reunited."

"I see…" The doctor opened the folder his Pandora assistant had brought in. "Well, I suppose I can let him have a break before I speak to him. After all, he has more than earned it in the last three days."

Su-Na glanced at Scarlett before speaking again. "I still find it hard to believe. He's actually a Pandora? A male Pandora?"

"Yes, he is." Gengo chuckled and turned a page in the folder so he could read the back. "It's insane but it's true. He has demonstrated the ability to manifest a Volt Weapon."

Su-Na let her eyes drift to the picture of the young man in the folder. 'A male Pandora, huh?' she thought to herself.

**West Genetics Academy, Classroom 3-5…**

Thousands of UNSC troops were still on the ground following the battle, unable to return to the Ace of Spades due to the Pelican bays of the mighty ship being underwater at this point. Sister Margaret had arranged for some of the extra classrooms to be set up as lodging for the soldiers.

Classroom 3-5 had been reserved for the SPARTANs of Pink Team. Ten sleeping bags had been laid out and the SPARTANs were told to get some rest while the Marine forces cleaned out the last of the Covenant hiding in the city. Jeremy-049 had been the last to sleep. Instead, he'd opted to watch over his team and square away his armor. He'd eventually fallen asleep, but he wanted to make sure his men were taken care of first.

As the SPARTAN woke up he felt an unusual pressure on his chest. He couldn't remember being injured in the fighting… had something fallen on top of him? He realized that the something was warm and soft… and it was moving in a slow, rhythmic manner. Breathing, in other words. His neon-blue eyes opened to find a head of dark hair on his chest. Apparently Teslad, who had vanished after the battle, had found him after he'd fallen asleep and decided to use him as a human body pillow.

The SPARTAN sat up, mentally cursing himself for allowing himself to be approached like this. Had she been an enemy, she could have slit his throat and the throats of all his SPARTANs with ease. As he moved Teslad awoke, sitting up and giving him a reproachful look that only lasted a moment before returning to her usual stoic gaze.

"So… is there any particular reason you decided I was your bunkmate?" As he spoke the other SPARTANs began to stir. Tess spotted Teslad and reached for her weapon, although she didn't bring it up. Teslad, meanwhile, simply stared at Jeremy as always. "You sure don't talk much… are you a mute?" he asked.

"No," the Pandora said emotionlessly.

"Well all be damned," Tess mumbled. "The Legendary Pandora finally speaks." She stood up and looked down at the other woman, suspicion written across her features. "Why the hell do you keep following us?" At this Teslad merely stared at her.

"Listen, Teslad.. mind giving us some privacy?" At Jeremy's request the Legendary Pandora stood up and left the room, closing the door behind her. Jeremy couldn't hear any footsteps and so he assumed she was standing outside.

"That chick gives me the creeps," Andrew-139 said as he pulled his chest plate on over his armor's undersuit.

"You said it." Tess looked at Jeremy as she tended to her own armor. "She's been following you for a while now and that's the first time she's actually spoken. I don't know about you, but I think she's suspicious."

"Which is why it's good to keep her close," Jeremy said. "Think about it. If she's up to something, being with a SPARTAN all the time makes her a hell of a lot more likely to get caught."

"Unless she's just keeping tabs on you. Maybe she wants to know where you are so she can warn her comrades when they're moving against the UNSC."

Jeremy didn't speak. Tess had a point there, but he didn't feel like that was the case. Something about the Pandora's actions just… didn't seem hostile to him. He was actually finding her presence pleasant. He gave a tiny chuckle as he locked his helmet in place. Maybe all the years of battle were finally getting to him.

**Meanwhile…**

In another part of the school, Echo Squad was being chewed out. Go figure.

The Marines had set up a comm center in one of the schools lesser-used outbuildings. The small structure was full of portable terminals such as the one Jeremy-049 had used the night previously. Once again Admiral Lucia Hartman's face was on the screen of one of the displays. However, her expression was less grim and more "I will murder you" this time.

Sergeant Davis stood in front of the console with his squad gathered behind him. Holly Rose was there, having stayed near Carson for the rest of the night. "Ma'am, with all due respect.. the guy attacked an ODST. One of MY soldiers, I might add. Corporal Carson was already wounded in battle, then this little…"

"Then you should have detained him," Hartman said over the sergeant's explanation. "You should have cuffed him and locked him up somewhere. What you and your men did was a clear act of brutality and is worthy of court-martial!" The Admiral was clearly growing angrier by the second. "Do you know what the first thing I received when we got communications back online? A message from the boy's father for fuck's sake! Not only did you abuse a Chevalier recruit, you abused the son of one of the most politically and financially powerful men on this planet! Now I've got Chevalier reps breathing down my neck over this. I just managed to avert one crisis by bargaining with them for Lina Chu Long's pardon. Now I have to bargain even further for yours!"

"Ma'am.. we only did what we thought was fitting. The kid attacked us. We've done worse to the Covenant."

"Yes, but the Covenant aren't our allies, Sergeant." The Admiral shook her head slowly, looking much older than her forty-seven years of age. "It's a nightmare. I've got a landlocked ship, a Shiva detonation to explain, ten thousand stranded Marines, and now this mess."

Davis glanced at Rack-Em, who was standing to his left, then back to Hartman. "Admiral… I'd like to make a request."

Hartman's eyes narrowed. "Choose your words wisely, Sergeant."

Davis took a breath before continuing. "Ma'am, I'd like to request a Pandora be added to our squad. It'd be a perfect publicity stunt, ma'am. The Pandora could give the Chevalier an inside view of our culture without giving away anything significant. Not only that, but having one of their own running around with us might make the Chevalier more lenient. And as it turns out we've got the perfect Pandora in mind. She and Corporal Carson worked together last night. She even made sure he got back to base alive when he was wounded in battle."

Hartman was quiet for a long time, glaring up at the screen. "And what does this Pandora think of your little idea, Sergeant?" she said finally.

Holly hesitated for a moment the stepped forward to stand next to Sergeant Davis. "Ma'am, this is the first I've heard of the idea… but I want to do it."

"And just who are you?" It was clear the Admiral was exercising every bit of self-control she had in order to remain polite.

"Fourth-year Holly Rose, UK Genetics," Holly said. "My Limiter was the one that attacked Corporal Carson last night. The corporal was protecting me from my Limiter when Luis attacked him."

"Why would you need protection from your own partner?"

Holly's face flushed at this question. She had only told Carson her story because she was tired, hurt, and didn't feel like fighting it. She didn't want to tell the Admiral her tale, but it didn't seem like she had that much of a choice. Thankfully Carson spoke up for her. "Ma'am, the guy was beating the crap out of her. She was afraid to say or do anything because of his family's connections. There was no way in hell I was gonna let that happen right in front of me though, so I tried to stop the guy."

Hartman was quiet for a while longer. Eventually her face softened into a less furious expression. "I think I can use this to our advantage. I'll work it so that you're working with the undermanned ODST squad to make sure there's not another situation like this in the future. Agreed?"

Holly nodded. "I understand, ma'am. Thank you very much."

The console switched off as the Admiral cut the feed. Davis turned to Holly Rose with his arms folded over his chestplate. "Well, I guess that's the best we could've hoped for. Now we can keep you safe from that little sack of crap, Hartman won't skin us all, and our squad isn't quite as boned." He sized the girl up, one eyebrow raised. "Can you fight, lady?"

In response Holly manifested her Volt Weapon. Davis found himself looking cross-eyed at the tip of the two-handed broadsword, which had been named Victory Pledge.

"Swords?" Davis took a step back from the girl. "What good's a sword gonna do you against a soldier with a gun?"

"You'd be surprised," Carson said. "She blocked an entire division's worth of incoming Covenant fire for me. Only think she couldn't seem to block was a PBR."

This earned the Pandora a surprised look from Davis. "Are you serious? Fuckin hell.. we need Pandoras in all of our squads!"

"I'm afraid that wouldn't work," Holly said quietly. "Not every Pandora could do that. I just happen to be the number-one ranked Pandora in the UK."

At these words the others all turned at stared at Holly, even Carson. "Damn… I sure hit the jackpot when I met you out there," he said. "Anyone else and I might've been dead!"

"Hold on a second." Davis raised one gloved hand, suddenly looking disturbed by what had been said. "You said you're the best Pandora in the UK… and I've seen firsthand just what a Pandora can do in battle… so why the fuck did you let that little scumbag go all dominatrix on your ass? Couldn't you have just murdered the hell out of him the first time he hit you?"

Holly's face turned red again and her gaze dropped to the floor. Carson felt something in his chest tighten at the sight. It wasn't like last night, when she'd seemed so cool and strong. Now she looked timid and submissive… it was like she was broken or something.

"Sarge, I don't think this is the time for.."

"No…" Holly cut off Carson's defense, her eyes meeting the sergeant's. "It's alright. I guess the answer to your question is that strength as a Pandora and strength as a person are two very different things." She swung her blade easily, maneuvering it through the air like an expert swordswoman. "I may be a strong Pandora, but as a person I can only put up a strong front. The world sees a Holly Rose that is strong both physically and mentally, but the real Holly Rose is neither." The two-handed sword vanished just as easily as it had appeared. Holly looked down at her now-empty hands. "I think that's why Luis chose me. I heard somewhere that he spent some time looking for a Pandora that would fit his.. needs. I'm sure he felt like he'd just struck gold and oil all at once when he learned of my past."

None of the ODSTs spoke for a moment. After a short time Davis broke the silence with a small snort. "Listen lady. I don't give two shakes of my dick what you're hiding in your past. We've all get skeletons in the closet. But all that shit stays in the past." The ODST put his hand on Holly's shoulder. "I don't need to know that you're a former ONI spook or that you like eating fish heads or whatever your trip is. All I need to know is that you can fight and that you're not going to stab us in the back with that bigass sword of yours. Got that?"

The Pandora nodded but didn't speak.

"Welcome to Echo Squad, rookie." Davis looked towards the ceiling, thinking aloud. "We'll need a new uniform.. that "hey baby, whatcha sellin?" outfit has gotta go. Then we'll need to figure out a callsign…" His eyes snapped back to Holly. "Oh yeah! You'll probably want a formal introduction to the squad." He pointed to each of the ODSTs in turn as he introduced them. "The big guy with the mohawk is Tate, our demolitions expert. He makes shit go 'boom.' The black dude is Rex. He may look like a mindless brute and if you get into a fight with him he'll prove you right… but he's also our techie. And you already know Rack-Em, our sniper. There are two other members of the squad you'll meet later. Mitch is my right-hand man, but right now he's in the WesGen infirmary recovering. Poor guy got shot up pretty bad out there. The other guy you'll meet at some point is Pinpoint. That's our rookie. Well, was our rookie. That's your place now. You probably won't see much of Pinpoint for a while."

"Why not?" Holly asked as she tried to remember everyone's callsigns.

"Because he's on loan to WesGen," Davis replied. "He's still one of us though, and when the Genetics people are done with him he's coming back to Echo."

"In other words," Rex chimed in. "Pinpoint took off to go play grabass with the sexy Pandoras and Sarge can't accept the fact that he got dumped."

"Shove it Rex, that's an order."

Holly laughed in spite of herself. When she looked around she noticed Carson looking at her with a smile on his face. She quickly looked away, feeling just a little bit awkward. Unfortunately, this was noticed by Tate. The larger ODST put one arm around Holly's shoulders and the other around Carson's and pulled the two closer to himself.

"I see somebody's already getting nice and friendly with the rookie," Tate said with a devilish grin. "Didn't Sarge say he knew a good tattoo artist that can put her name on your arm for ya?" Rack-Em turned red at that point and shoved his comrade away. Still laughing and joking, the ODST squad left the comm center in order to scrounge up a spare ODST uniform for Holly Rose. The Pandora couldn't help but feel at ease among the squad. Despite being well-trained and battle-hardened special forces troops, the ODST acted like a bunch of schoolboys when they weren't in a combat zone. That lightheartedness made her feel comfortable around them.

**West Genetics Academy, fourth-year girls dorms, room 343, 1600…**

The dorm room belonging to Alexis Tannar was wrecked once again, but this time it was the result of a wild night. The entire place was trashed from the intensity of what the Pandora had done with her partner the night previously. There were very few surfaces in the dorm room that hadn't been utilized in their romp. Now the pair lay tangled with each other in the bed, the sheets wrapped messily around their bodies like a human burrito.

Gabe was the first to awaken. He could still taste that sweet taste he'd come to associate with his partner's kisses on his tongue. He didn't need to open his eyes to know that Alexis was there with him. If the warmth and the feel of soft skin against his own wasn't enough, the faint scent of evergreen trees that always seemed to linger around her gave it away easily.

The ODST opened his eyes to find a pretty face inches from his own. They'd fallen asleep around daybreak, both utterly exhausted from the battle and the bonding they'd done afterward. They lay side-by-side, facing each other and wrapped in each other's arms. Gabe reached up and brushed away a few white strands that had fallen into Alexis's face, admiring his partner fondly.

At his touch the Pandora awoke, smiling sleepily when her blue eyes opened and found Gabe watching her. She wiggled up to him and gave him a sweet, tender kiss. "Well good morning," she said.

Gabe's stomach answered before he could, giving a loud grumble. He suddenly became very aware of the fact that he hadn't eaten since they'd had lunch with Alexis's sister and godfather. "Mornin'" he said sheepishly. Alexis gave a giggle at the sound and his reaction to it.

Gabe swung his legs out of bed and reached for what was left of his uniform. Behind him Alexis propped herself up on one elbow and watched him. "We're both covered in blood and dirt.. and that's not even counting what we did last night." Gabe turned around, one eyebrow raised. "Shouldn't we shower first?" Gabe couldn't help but feel that she had some sort of ulterior motive for saying this…

It took them nearly forty-five minutes to finally leave her room. With his uniform wrecked Gabe was forced to use a spare Limiter outfit Alexis kept in her room for emergencies. Or at least he was until he swung by his own room and picked up his spare armor. It wasn't a pretty uniform and it certainly didn't blend in with the Limiters and Pandoras of this place, but Gabe felt more comfortable in the BDU than anything else. Plus, it helped remind himself and others of who he was and where he'd come from. Gabe also stashed his captured plasma rifle in his room, opting to carry a spare pistol instead along with the energy sword he'd taken from the Elite Ultra he and Alexis had fought. Many UNSC soldiers used the magnetic weapon mounts on their armor to carry their weapons, but Gabe had always preferred a physical holster for his pistol. It wasn't likely to get fried by Covenant weapons and he wouldn't lose his gun if he had to squeeze through a tight space.

Gabe made his way from the dorms to the cafeteria, having promised Alexis he'd meet her there when he was done changing. However, he spotted something along the way that caught his attention. A young Japanese Limiter was sitting alone on a low wall, a BR-55 leaning against the wall next to him. Gabe made his way towards the young Limiter, having heard the what had transpired after his capture from Alexis.

"Hey, Doormat!" Gabe sat down on the wall next to the kid. The Limiter jumped at the sound of the ODSTs voice. His eyes were wide with shock, a look Gabe recognized instantly. Gabe looked out over the yard the wall bordered, watching a pair of Pandoras sparring in the distance. "First kill last night?" he asked.

"Yeah.." Kazuya's voice came out shaky. "I couldn't sleep at all last night. It was like once I was safe everything started hitting me. I kept seeing the blood and the bodies and hearing the screaming. And the way those Covenant things twitched and squirmed after they were shot…"

"I was the same way after my first kill," Gabe mused. "It was a patrol mission. We got ambushed by the Covenant and all Hell broke loose. At the time I didn't think about it. I just wanted to survive, and to do that I had to kill. But when backup finally got there and we were evacuated I kept seeing the battle over and over again. It took a long time for me to get over what had happened."

"How do you do it?" the Limiter asked. "How do you go day by day knowing that you've killed?"

"Easy, actually. I look at what I've killed. For example, those Grunts. If you hadn't killed them, they would have lived on to kill other people. In our world, it's us or them. Either we kill the Covies, or we and everyone we know and love die by their hands. It's a hard truth, but it's the way things have to be. You're no different, really." At his words the Limiter looked up at him, shocked by the statement. "The only difference is that the Nova are a bit nicer when they die. No blood or guts or screaming. They just.. break. You can detach yourself from killing them… although in a way that makes you weaker."

"How would that make us weaker?"

"Because you'll be detached from the act of taking a life. With the Covenant we're still killing alien monstrosities, but they still bleed when you shoot them. They die harder than the Nova and that serves as a constant reminder of the weight of a life. The blood and screams keep us from forgetting that the things on the other end of our guns have lives too, lives that we're ending."

"But did I have a right to take those lives?" Kazuya's voice was even shakier at this point. "What if they're just like us in the end?"

"They are just like us," Gabe said. "But you have to decide which is more important to you: a bunch of alien soldiers or a bunch of human ones. The Covenant killed billions where I come from. Then they came here and started killing your people, the people you Limiters and your Pandoras are supposed to fight for. So which is more important, kid? The lives of aliens, or the lives of the human beings that those aliens would have killed had you not gunned them down?" Kazuya was quiet after that, clearly thinking over the ODSTs words. "Just don't ever forget what you're feeling right now. As soldiers it's our duty to eliminate enemies of our people, but we must never allow ourselves to forget the value of a life lest we become mindless killers." Kazuya opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by a voice from behind them.

"Corporal Kinkaid? I've been looking for you everywhere!" Gabe turned to see a woman in a modified version of the Chevalier military Pandora uniform standing behind him. She was slightly shorter than himself and had long, dark hair. Her eyes went to Kazuya for a moment then back to Gabe. "I hope you're treating Mr. Aoi here nicely, Corporal. He is a member of my unit, after all."

"Just givin' the kid some advice," Gabe said. "So who are you and why were you looking for me?"

"First Lieutenant Su-Na Lee," the woman said. "Dr. Aoi wishes to speak to you regarding your… situation."

"And why the hell would I talk to some hack about my situation?" Gabe folded his arms in front of his armored chestplate, looking a bit like his sergeant as he did.

"Gengo Aoi is the world's top expert on stigmata and the creator of the Pandora system," Kazuya said from next to Gabe. "He's also my grandfather. I know for a fact that he doesn't just talk to people idly. If he wants to talk to you, it means there's something big to it."

"Exactly." Su-Na looked pleased with her subordinate's explanation. "The doctor has taken an interest in you, Corporal. He'd like to work with you."

"I won't be a lab rat," Gabe snarled.

"Of course not. Dr. Aoi has something much better in mind. He believes he can stabilize your stigmata as well as increasing their capabilities."

Gabe thought about it. If there was someone on this planet who could figure out why he went crazy every time he used his Volt Weapon it seemed like it would be this Gengo Aoi. The choice was clear. Gabe looked at Kazuya. "Mind telling going to the cafeteria and telling Alexis what's going on?" he asked. Kazuya nodded and left, taking his rifle with him. Gabe watched the kid leave then looked at Su-Na. "Lead the way," he said.

**West Genetics Academy, Level B9, six minutes later…**

Gabe entered the office he'd been led to behind Su-Na, the woman that had led him there. The Pandora took up her position standing behind a white-haired Asian man. An American woman in a wheelchair sat near the desk. Gabe merely glanced at her before letting his eyes travel to the woman standing behind her. This other woman was roughly Gabe's age, with long crimson hair and eyes that followed Gabe's every movement. It wasn't too hard for the ODST to recognize her as a Pandora, despite the fact that she was dressed in a sleeveless button-up shirt and a black skirt rather than any of the uniforms he'd seen Pandoras running around in.

The white-haired doctor sitting at the desk in the center of the room spoke then, causing Gabe's attention to leave the Pandora and focus on him instead. "Welcome, Corporal Kinkaid. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Skip the formalities," Gabe said. "Why did you drag me down here? And what the hell is this place, anyway?" At his words the redheaded Pandora seemed to tense, clearly not liking his hostile tone. The others didn't react.

"This is, to put it simply, a weapons research facility. We create new stigmata technologies here. And that is why I've asked you here." The doctor stood up and waved his hand at the folder laying on his desk. It was open, revealing a bunch of papers and a picture of Gabe. "We would like your help in improving our weapons against the Nova."

"So you want to experiment on me?" Gabe asked.

"Not quite." Gengo moved to the windows that ran alongside one wall of his office and opened the blinds to reveal the lab floor below. "Down here, we have been working on new stigmata technologies to give our fighting men and women an edge against the Nova. But you, Corporal, have demonstrated something entirely new. I don't want to harness that power of yours yet. I'm simply offering you the opportunity to refine your abilities. I believe that, with some work, we can elevate your potential far beyond that of a Pandora. You would become a powerful weapon both in our war and your own. All I ask in return is that we be allowed to study your stigmata."

Gabe looked at the wheelchair-woman at that point. "We?" he asked.

"Allow me to introduce my colleague, Doctor Scarlett O'Hara." The woman nodded as Aoi introduced her.

"I've heard that name before," Gabe said. "You were in charge of a project to turn regular people into Pandoras. That project backfired and you ended up getting all your test subjects killed in the name of science." He looked back to Gengo Aoi, an eyebrow raised. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable having her working with me, Doc. I do intend to go home alive, y'know."

"I assure you, Corporal, that O'Hara won't harm you." This came from the Pandora clad in civilian clothes. Gabe's gaze went to her again and he found a slight measure of respect in the woman's eyes. "As the only survivor of the E-Pandora project, my word vouching for her should mean something."

"Only survivor…" Gabe paused for a moment as he recalled what he'd read about the Evolution Pandora project. "Then you're Evans?"

"Amelia Evans," the woman said. "I'm Doctor O'Hara's assistant and protector."

Gabe nodded then looked to the older doctor again. "If I'm going to let you study me, I want something in return."

"Oh?" Gengo's eyebrows raised at this. "And what might that be?"

"I've got a problem with my stigmata," Gabe said. "Every time I use my Volt Weapon I start going batshit. Last time I almost shot my partner in the face. The time before that I damn near killed two Pandoras and a Limiter. I want you to figure out what's making me go all bloodrage mode and find a way to neutralize it. If you can do that, then I'll work with you."

"Very well." Gengo came around the desk and held out a hand to the ODST. "I can accept those terms."

Gabe shook the man's offered hand. "So where do we start?"

"Miss Evans will take you to our training room. I'd like you to fight her." At this Amelia stepped forward. "This will help us get a better idea of your capabilities. And don't hesitate to go all-out, either. Amelia is far stronger than any Pandora you've encountered thus far. Only the Legendary Pandoras outmatch her."

Gabe nodded and followed Amelia, slipping on his helmet as he went. The new system took a moment to download his settings and data from the computer on the Ace of Spades. Amelia, unaware of this, continued out of the room and down the hall. Once his system came back online Gabe rushed off to join her, nearly running into the Pandora when she stopped outside the training room.

Gabe waited for her to open the room but she didn't. Instead, the Pandora turned and pulled the ODSTs helmet off. Gabe started to ask what she was doing but was cut off when she pushed him against the wall. Her lips pressed against his for a moment, then she moved her head to whisper in his ear.

"I need to talk to you alone. Be in your room at midnight. Lives depend on it."

The Pandora turned and entered the training room at that moment, a dazed ODST following her.

**Shiori Tenshi District, UNSC Command Post Five…**

Captain Larson rubbed his temples, absolutely exhausted by the battle and the cleanup operation. He'd been put in charge of clearing the city of surviving Covenant as well as making sure all alien technology was secured. The job was long, hard, and seemingly impossible to finish. His men were tired as well, which made progress slower. As if that wasn't enough, two Chevalier military Pandoras were now standing before him.

"We demand to know why you've barred us from our own city!" one of them said angrily. "This is a direct act of occupation. It's almost as if you people have declared war against us!"

"Miss, just listen to me," the exhausted Marine said. "I'm under orders to sweep the area for Covenant survivors. You Pandoras are like tits on a bull when it comes to fighting the Covies. Look how many Pandoras have been dragged out of the hot zone in black bags! So just leave this to the experts. As soon as we're certain the area is secure we'll pull out. End of story."

"That's not good enough," the Pandora said. "It's like you people are hiding something in there!"

"Do a satellite sweep then," Larson responded. "Watch us. You'll see right away that we're just doing our damn jobs out here. We're out here to make sure you people survive. So until you have proof that we're doing something suspicious, get the fuck out of my operations area."

"Your commander will be hearing from ours," the Pandora said as she and her comrade left the command center. Larson sighed again then turned to the lower-ranked officers near him in the operations center.

"What's our progress?"

"Fifty-eight percent, sir," one of the Marines said. "We're not running into that much in the way of resistance, but we're finding a lot of hardware down there. Gathering it up is taking a lot of time."

"Keep at it, people." The captain turned and left the ops center, needing some fresh air. His orders had come in two parts: to secure the area, and to secure any Covenant tech. The last thing the UNSC needed was the Chevalier getting their hands on alien weapons and trying to use them or reverse-engineer them. If the already shaky relationship between the Chevalier and the UNSC deteriorated, having Covenant weapons in the hands of the enemy would be a disaster. In addition, the Chevalier were liable to ruin their own people with the alien tech if it fell into the wrong hands. Thus, containing the Covenant technology was top priority. But the Chevalier were already out here searching for loot like dogs looking for table scraps.

This job was going to get a hell of a lot harder.

**West Genetics Academy, fourth-year boy's dorm, room 303, 0000…**

The training had gone on for six hours straight. When Gabe had finally been released he'd been too tired to go to the cafeteria. Upon his return to his room he'd found a basket of food on his doorstep along with a note from Alexis. Apparently she'd been worried about him and decided to make him something to eat for when he finally did return. Grateful, the ODST had taken the basket into his room and opened it to find a pair of chicken sandwiches, a container of potato salad, and a thermos of homemade lemonade.

Gabe had changed into his off-duty clothes then devoured one of the sandwiches and most of the salad, savoring the flavors. The food tasted even better than the exquisite cuisine served in the cafeteria. After eating he'd laid down on his bed, relaxing in the short time he had before Amelia's arrival. The Pandora's words came back to him… "Lives depend on it." What had she meant by that?

A knock sounded on his door exactly at midnight. Gabe stood up and opened the door, one hand on his holster. Amelia shoved past him into the room and closed the door. Gabe noticed that the woman was carrying a computer.

"So what's this all about, Evans?" Gabe asked.

"Sorry for my actions earlier, but it was the only way I could think to get a message to you without anyone else realizing. Last night after the battle I was contacted by a member of the Chevalier, our governing body." The woman closed his blinds, checked his bathroom, then sat down at his desk and began setting up her computer there. "They requested that I get in contact with the head of your UNSC. I'm assuming you have a way to communicate with them?"

Gabe nodded and picked up his helmet, setting the radio to conference mode. The helmet became a portable comm terminal. "Ace of Spades, this is Corporal Kinkaid. Authorization code two-lima-alpha-seven-niner-november. I need a secure channel to Hartman."

"Roger that, Pinpoint." The response came rather quickly, as if he'd been expected. "Patching you through now."

A moment later Hartman's voice came over the speakers. "What's the situation, Corporal?"

Gabe nodded to Amelia, who took a breath. "Admiral, my name is Amelia Evans. I was contacted by a member of the Chevalier organization last night. Apparently the commander-in-chief, Alfred Hughes, has taken an interest in some of your technology. He's enacted a plan to board the Ace of Spades and steal intelligence and equipment, although my contact was unsure of just what they're after."

There was silence on the line for some time. "And I'm assuming you have proof?"

"Yes ma'am. My contact sent me documents detailing the orders given that pertain to the UNSC."

"And why would your organization betray itself?" Hartman asked. "It seems suspicious."

"I thought the same thing," Amelia said. "But look at what your people have done. You've detonated warheads far more powerful than anything we have, you've got advanced technology aboard that ship, and your soldiers have proven our Pandora forces to be absolutely useless. Many feel our survival depends on staying in your good graces, and the commander-in-chief's actions are detrimental to that."

"I see." Hartman was quiet for a bit longer. "Go ahead and give Corporal Kinkaid your intel.. although I'm afraid it came too late."

"Ma'am?" Gabe didn't like the sound of that.

"Lodestone detected a data tap onboard early this morning. He was able to lock it down, but not before quite a bit of information on our ship and our soldiers was stolen. We've also noticed a piece of medical equipment missing from the aft medical bay."

"Let me guess," Amelia said. "A flash-cloning device?"

"Exactly," Hartman replied. "What's even stranger, our surveillance footage shows that the device simply disappeared. One moment it was there, then the next it was gone. Same with the terminal that was hacked. It was as if the keys just started pressing themselves."

"Was Lodestone about to trace the tap?" Gabe asked.

"Yes, but it didn't do us any good. The tap went to a van in the city. When our Longswords did a flyby that van was abandoned. Whoever was responsible got their data then ran when the feed was cut off."

There was silence for a moment longer. "Admiral, if I may ask," Amelia finally said. "What would the Chevalier want with your cloning technology? We already have cloning tech of our own."

"I was hoping your contact would be able to tell us that," Hartman said. "It doesn't seem like there's much use for such a device, but there is obviously something we're not seeing."

"So now what, Admiral?" Gabe asked.

"Well, for starters I want you on your guard, Corporal. Keep your eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary down there. Don't draw too much attention for now. And send me the intel Miss Evans brought. I'm not entirely sure we can trust you, but I've read your file. I know all about the E-Pandora project, and the Type-Maria project. That doesn't mean I'm instantly going to believe you, but I'm willing to give you a chance to prove your intentions. For now, however, I think the best bet is for us to wait and see."

"Understood Admiral." Gabe saluted despite not being able to see the Admiral. "I'll contact you again if we learn anything."

"Very well. Over and out, soldier." The line went dead at that point. Gabe switched his radio back to comm mode and put his helmet on his desk next to Amelia's laptop.

"I'd better be going before someone gets suspicious," Amelia said. She handed him a flash drive and packed up her computer once again. "Take this. It's the data my contact sent me. I'll find you again if I get any new information." She turned to leave, only to be stopped by the sound of Gabe's gun cocking back. The Pandora gave a light chuckle, facing away from the ODST. "Don't tell me you're going to try something stupid. I thought better of you, Gabriel Kinkaid."

"What the fuck is Type-Maria? I know about the Evolution Pandora program, the one meant to turn normal girls with no stigmata compatibility into Pandoras." Gabe's weapon was aimed directly at the Pandora's head as he spoke, ready to blow a hilariously large hole in her skull if the ODST felt she needed one. "But Hartman said you were involved in something called Type-Maria. I don't like it when people hide shit from me."

"It didn't pertain to the matter at hand, Kinkaid," Amelia said bitterly. "It's a ghost from my own life, nothing more. I have no reason to tell you or anyone else… although I am surprised your admiral found out about it."

"Don't mess with me. These are my people that are at stake if this shit goes sideways. You're going to tell me, now."

"Fine, no need to get all dramatic," Amelia said. She turned back and sat back down in the chair, glaring at him. "You said you know the E-Pandora project, but you're way off. The E-Pandoras were a front. Even we were fooled. Our facility was supposed to be for training and improving the E-Pandoras, but in reality it was for the Type-Maria project."

"What was the Type-Maria project?" Gabe lowered his weapon but didn't holster it, not yet.

"Clones of Maria Lancelot, the first Pandora. O'Hara was growing them while posing with the E-Pandora. They were supposed to take over in place of our Pandoras. But when the E-Pandoras rebelled and were slaughtered, I pushed myself too far and ended up turning into a Nova. The clones responded to my Novalization and merged with me."

"Merged?"

Amelia sighed, calling back the unpleasant memory. "Our stigmatic material combined into a full-sized Nova. We became a monster. It took a lot of Pandoras to bring us down, but it wasn't until Chiffon Fairchild sacrificed herself to stop us that we were truly defeated. At that point the Nova we'd turned into broke apart, and I was left behind as a true Pandora."

"I see." Gabe holstered his weapon and sat down on his bed. "I guess I can believe that. It's too crazy to be a lie. But I swear to god, Evans… if you betray us, I'll fuckin' kill you. Ya got that?"

"The same goes to you, Corporal Kinkaid," Amelia stood up and made for the door again. "Don't even think of selling me out. And that pretty little Original of yours doesn't need to know about any of this either." The woman left at that point, leaving the Helljumper to think on what had transpired.

If the Chevalier were moving against the UNSC, did that mean war would come soon? He quickly weighed the odds. It didn't seem as if the UNSC could win an engagement against the Chevalier. Sure, they could probably take the island West Genetics resided on and stage some sort of defense. But with their limited resources, the UNSC would have a hard time holding the area. It would be a slow, agonizing end for their crew.

Thus, it was imperative that the Chevalier be stopped without warfare. That meant espionage, cloak-and-dagger stuff. Gabe and the other ODSTs were used to working with ONI, and it was likely that the Ace of Spades carried an ONI operative given the nature of their previous mission… but would that be enough against an enemy like the Chevalier?

**UNSC Ace of Spades, Forward Observation Deck…**

Admiral Hartman stood in the windowed room, watching the sea life dart past in the great ship's floodlights. Behind her stood two armored SPARTANs: Jeremy-049 and Tess-102. Jeremy had instructed the Legendary Pandora to wait for him in one of the hangar bays and she had obliged, although she looked a bit put out by it. The other three Legendary Pandoras were aboard the ship as well, although the Marines were keeping them far from the observation deck.

"Well, what do you think?" Hartman asked of her two SPARTAN companions. "Can we trust her?"

Jeremy looked down at the datapad he held in his hand. "These files seem authentic, and the results are exactly as these files predict. Additionally, given her history with the Type-Maria project, it's very unlikely that she'd side with the Chevalier. I'd say there's at least a chance she's on the level."

"But do you trust her?"

"No," Jeremy said. "But I'm not trained to trust."

"True." Hartman's eyes watched a fish swimming past the headlights. "So how should we proceed?"

"We need to trace the data tap. We also need to recover the stolen flash-cloning vat." As usual, the SPARTAN's response was quick and precise. "To reclaim the equipment, we need to figure out what they want with it and where they're using it. Therefore, tracing the tap should be our first priority. I have a plan, but it'll take some time. Also, we need some equipment."

"What kind of equipment?" Hartman asked.

"A flash-cloning vat, for one. We also need a neural pathway mapper… I think I can make that if I get the right equipment, but I'll need to requisition supplies from the locals. Oh, and I need someplace to work without being monitored or interfered with." At these words the Admiral was silent. A neural pathway mapper was a machine that fired electrical impulses through a deceased person's brain in order to, as the name implied, map their neural pathways. This was the key to creating artificial intelligence constructs such as Lodestone, the AI that ran the Ace of Spades. The fact that the SPARTAN wanted one along with a place where he couldn't be monitored was disturbing in more ways than one.

"What the hell… "Admiral Hartman turned around, her eyebrows raised. ".. do you have in mind, SPARTAN?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." Jeremy turned and began to leave. "I'll radio Kinkaid. Given his new relationship with Doctor Aoi, he might be able to get us the equipment we need. Let me know if you find a place where I can work."

Hartman watched the two SPARTANs leave the room, feeling a bit confused. She wasn't about to question her SPARTANs, however. They were being strangely secretive, but the Admiral knew she could count on them to provide results and that made her more than happy to give them their free reign. What worried her now, however, was the Chevalier. Something ugly was approaching, she could feel it in her gut.

"This is why I never went into politics," the Admiral grumbled.


	17. Chapter 17

**West Genetics Academy, Level B9 Training Room, 1200, two days after Covenant attack…**

Gabe hit the ground for the twentieth time that day, his Volt Weapon disintegrating as he did. Amelia Evans stood above him with her own weapon held to the side. Gabe's eyes went to her weapon, a long polearm resembling a short-bladed naginta. That weapon should've been ineffective against a soldier with a firearm, and yet he had been defeated repeatedly by the Pandora.

"I expected better of you, Kinkaid," Amelia said as the ODST picked himself up and reformed his weapon. "If this is all your special forces can do then it's no wonder the Covenant are slaughtering your people."

Gabe responded to this comment with his gun rather than words. He brought the crimson-highlighted rifle up to his shoulder and let loose a torrent of fire. Amelia responded with a simple Double Accel. Gabe's helmet traced the Pandora's movements for him and he met her attack with a fresh barrage of shots. Amelia was able to outmaneuver him once again, however, and Gabe felt the handle of her weapon catch him in the stomach. He staggered slightly from the force of her blow and that was the opening she needed to take him down. She hooked her weapon behind Gabe's leg and the ODST went down, landing on his back.

"That's twenty-one to nothing," Amelia said smugly.

"That's enough." The voice of Scarlett O'Hara echoed through the training room over the PA system. Gabe stood up yet again and removed his helmet.

"I hope there's a point to all this," he grumbled. Amelia smirked and left the room with a motion for him to follow her.

They made their way to the lab floor where they found O'Hara looking over his combat statistics on a computer screen. The doctor gave the two a glance as they entered then went back to her screen. Gabe stepped up next to her, looking at the information that he wasn't sure he understood but somehow pertained to him anyway.

"Your output is impressive," O'Hara said as Gabe and Amelia joined her. "But your lack of defensive measures is killing you. Not only that, but your inability to use High-End Skills is putting you at a major disadvantage against Amelia. You have to rely on that software of yours to see where she's coming from and that is nowhere near enough."

"I don't have any other options," Gabe said. "It's not like I can just magically see where she's going to hit. Without my VISR I may as well be trying to shoot the wind."

"Normally a Pandora's body is optimized by her Volt Textures. Vision, hearing, strength, reaction times… nearly every one of her abilities are improved this way. But you, you don't seem to be able to create Volt Textures. This puts you at a major disadvantage against a Pandora opponent. You can't see or hear her coming and you can't maneuver nearly as fast or accurately as she can."

"Which is where my VISR comes in," he grumbled. "It saved my ass against van Houten. I even got a few bullets into her."

"Yes, it works," O'Hara said impatiently. "But it isn't enough. Your opponent that time was attacking directly. When your target is moving and attacking you're hopeless. Very few Pandoras will use simple attacks the way van Houten does."

"So how do I combat it?" Gabe asked.

"We need to figure out why you can't use Volt Textures. Your compatibility with normal stigmata is fairly high, and from what we can tell your compatibility with the ones you've grown is even higher." The doctor shook her head. "By all rights you should be able to take Amelia with ease."

"So what's next?"

"Well," O'Hara said thoughtfully. "Tell me something, Kinkaid. You said you can engage an Ereinbar Set?"

"Yeah. Alexis and I have done it twice. Once in battle against those little Nova bastards and once while we were… um… bonding." Gabe's face turned a faint reddish color.

"Lucky girl," Amelia said with a smirk.

"Oh shut up." Gabe shot her a glare then looked back at O'Hara. "So, Ereinbar Set. What's the importance?"

"During the Valkyrie joint operation you were able to counteract the humanoid forms and their Freezing effects, yes?"

"Yeah…" He took a moment to recall the incident. "Alexis was getting stuck so we decided to try the Ereinbar Set. We couldn't Freeze anything but she became immune just like I am."

O'Hara nodded thoughtfully, thinking over the problem again. "When you engaged the Ereinbar Set you were able to fight the humanoid forms, correct?" Gabe nodded. "I think I've found the problem, then. Your stigmata aren't working with the one your partner gave you."

Gabe took a second to think on that. "So.. how do I fix it?"

"Well, the easiest way would be to remove the conflicting stigmata," O'Hara said. "You wouldn't be able to form the Ereinbar Set with your partner anymore, but you'd be able to use your own stigmata to their full potential."

The thought of losing his connection with Alexis bothered Gabe. Not only would it hurt her, but it would be like losing a part of himself. "Out of the question," he said. "What are the other options?"

"Sounds like someone's addicted to their partner," Amelia said. "She must be amazing in the sack."

Gabe undid the strap on his holster. "How about I put some air conditioning in your skull?"

"Enough you two," an irritated O'Hara said. Gabe and Amelia fell silent. "Anyway… If you don't want to give up the stigmata your partner gave you then we're going to have to adjust the way your body activates your stigmata. I'll need some time to work on this, so for now why don't we call it a day?"

Gabe nodded. "Sounds good, Doc. Let me know when you're ready for me." O'Hara nodded and Gabe turned to leave. He hesitated at the door then turned back. "Say, Doc… I've got a problem."

"What is it?" O'Hara's eyes left her screen again and found Gabe with a slight measure of interest.

"The Ace is in need of some equipment." Gabe pulled a scrap of paper out of his pocked and handed it to the doctor. SPARTAN-049 had radioed him early that morning with a list of supplies he needed, a list that Gabe had scribbled down on the piece of paper that he now gave to O'Hara. "If you can get that junk to me I'll handle getting it to the Ace. We figured it'd be best to ask you and Aoi about this stuff since you guys deal with equipment like this all the time."

"I'll see what I can do," O'Hara said, looking over the list. "I don't suppose you can tell me what they want with it?"

"That's a negative, Doc."

"Figures." O'Hara set the list on the desk next to her keyboard. "Give me some time to work on it."

"Thanks Doc." Gabe left the room at that point with lunch in mind. Amelia waited for him to leave then glanced at the list.

"What on Earth are those people up to?" she asked, surprised by some of the specialized equipment the list called for, none of which seemed to have any correlation with each other.

"I'm not sure. I don't know that I want to know, either." O'Hara looked up from her work. "I do think it'd be a good idea to keep in the UNSC's good graces, however. I'm sure they're monitoring what we do with their soldier. They could order him to quit these tests at any time. But if we make this little gesture of goodwill then perhaps they'll be willing to let us continue."

"So we're bribing them to let us do our jobs?" Amelia sounded slightly offended by that idea.

"No. We're merely keeping up a friendly relationship with them." O'Hara went back to her work with Amelia watching over her shoulder.

**Meanwhile, West Genetics Academy Cafeteria…**

Alexis sat in her usual spot with Lina, Charlotte, Horacio, and Ivan. Sophia and Devon were taking advantage of their day off to spend some quality time together. Secretly, Alexis envied them. She hadn't seen Gabe since they'd left her room. He never showed up at dinner the night previous, and he had breakfast early and disappeared this morning. And so, figuring he'd have to show up at some point to eat, Alexis toyed with her food in order to stall and hopefully catch her partner when he came for lunch.

"I'm sure he's just busy," Charlotte said, reaching across the table and putting her hand on Alexis's. "He is with the UNSC after all. Their greatest enemies just showed up in our city and attacked. All of the UNSC are probably working themselves ragged in the aftermath."

At this point Alexis looked across the room where a familiar group of ODSTs sat. A Pandora with silver-blonde hair sat in the midst of this group, wearing a uniform similar to theirs. Gabe's old squad were talking, laughing, and enjoying their lunches along with their new member. Alexis was slightly cheered by the sight of Mitch, who was still bandaged and winced when he moved but was apparently healing nicely.

Charlotte followed her gaze to the ODSTs and watched them for a moment as well. "Well," she said. "I'm sure there's a good reason for it. Gabe doesn't seem like the type to just disappear on a girl, you know?"

Alexis said nothing. She was worried about her partner, but Charlotte had been right about another fear that was eating at her. What if Gabe wasn't satisfied with her? They had spent an entire night making love, even going so far as to engage their Ereinbar Set during the act. What if he'd become bored with her after experiencing a night with her? Or what if she hadn't been as good as he'd expected and he was looking for something better? He and Samantha van Houten had been alone together on that ship for some time, and he had been shirtless when he'd come back. What if he'd tried it with her first and she'd been better than Alexis? The thought made her expression turn even gloomier, something that Charlotte and Lina both noticed.

"Look, I'm sure he's just busy," Lina said. "Tell you what, you can ask him about it tonight at his party."

"Party?" The statement caught Alexis's attention. "What party?"

"Didn't you hear? His squad is throwing him a party!" Lina said. "I happened to overhear that scary sergeant of his taking about it. Apparently his squad is throwing him a surprise party in his room."

"What kind of party?" Charlotte asked.

"A birthday party! Apparently today is his twentieth birthday."

At this Alexis stood up, her expression going from gloom to shock. "Why didn't he tell me?!" she said.

"Maybe because you never asked?" Alexis shot Lina a glare at those words. "Although, I do remember the sergeant saying that Gabe didn't like talking about his birthday. Maybe that's why he never said anything?"

Alexis turned and walked towards the ODSTs table at that point. As she approached the squad members looked up at her.

"Tannar!" Davis said cheerfully. "Good to see you, girl! How's our rookie doing?"

"I'm not sure," Alexis said bitterly. "I haven't seen him since yesterday afternoon."

"Really?" The ODSTs glanced at each other. "That's weird, even for him."

"So what's this about a party?" Alexis asked. "Lina was saying something about it being Gabriel's birthday today."

"Yeah, it is. We're going to throw him a little bit of a surprise party… it's the only way we'll ever get him to go to it."

"If he doesn't like celebrating, why force him?" This came from Holly Rose, who was sitting next to the young sniper known as Rack-Em.

"Because," Davis said impatiently. "It's good for him."

"I want in," Alexis said. "I want to be there." All of the ODSTs looked at her, surprised by the determination with which she'd said it.

"Yeah, we figured you would," Mitch said. "You're his partner after all."

"Yes… and I want to talk to him and this seems to be the only way I can get him to talk to me." She glanced towards the door hoping to see him walking through the door. As she watched a pair of Limiters entered the cafeteria, chattering about some band. "It's like he's just dropped off the face of the earth…"

The ODSTs shared a concerned look. Davis stood up and leaned forward, putting his hands on the table. "Alright Echo, listen up! Operation: REVELRY will commence at 1600. Operation will proceed as follows: Our objective will be to execute planned surprise celebration for Corporal Kinkaid and facilitate contact between Corporal Kinkaid and Pandora Tannar. Corporal Carson will be on guard duty. Carson will relay a warning via radio when Kinkaid approaches. The rest of us will prepare the celebration in Kinkaid's room and establish an ambush. Operation… START!"

Charlotte had approached during the start of the briefing, and at the end of it she spoke up. "Isn't it a little strange for you guys to do this?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Mitch responded.

"Well, the way I see it, you guys are special forces. The best of the best. You're battle-hardened warriors who have the fate of humanity in your hands… and you're acting like children! You're planning a surprise party for a friend! I understand the need to unwind every now and then, but aren't you taking it a little too far?" At Charlotte's words the other two Pandoras looked to the ODSTs, clearly pondering what Charlotte had said.

"You're right," Carson said quietly. "We are soldiers fighting for the very survival of our race. Every day we hear about more Covenant attacks. That's exactly why we do things like this. Living another whole year has become an important feat for humans, especially us soldiers. We put our lives on the line daily and our lives are filled with death and fear, so when we get the chance to celebrate something we go all-out. And our friend Pinpoint turning twenty is something worth celebrating."

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Rack-Em." Davis looked from his subordinate to Charlotte and Alexis. "In our world tomorrow is never a guarantee so we have to make the most of today."

"I see," Charlotte said softly. "I guess it makes sense… In a way, our two peoples are alike. We live under constant threat from the Nova. I know a lot of times we have dances and parties here at Genetics after a Nova clash so we can forget the pain and fear for a little while in favor of some lighthearted moments."

"Exactly," Davis said. "Too much war will wear a person out. Even we ODSTs need to let our hair down every now and then."

"What hair?" Holly asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"You know what I mean, smartass." All of them laughed at the sergeant's indignant response.

"I do know," Holly said. "That's why I want to be a part of it too. Plus, since I'm now a member of Echo Squad it'd be a great chance for me to meet my fellow soldier."

"Wait, you're with them?" Alexis said. "I don't remember seeing you before.."

"I'm Holly Rose," Holly said. "I've been assigned to Echo."

Charlotte and Alexis both took a step back in surprise. "Holly Rose?" Alexis asked. "As in, _the _Holly Rose? The UK's strongest Pandora?"

Holly nodded, looking slightly bashful. "Echo squad helped me out of a sticky situation so I've joined them to help fill in the ranks a bit. Plus, I've grown fond of these characters."

Rex gave a laugh. "What she means is..." The soldier did a mocking female voice. "I've got the hots for Rack-Em and want to be with my shining night in ballistic armor forever!" The joke made Holly turn bright red and earned Rex a kick from Rack-Em under the table, while the rest of the ODSTs and the other two Pandoras simply laughed.

Alexis took a moment to enjoy the levity before speaking. "Alright, so I'll meet you guys at Gabe's room at four." As she turned she still felt anxious but at the same time she was starting to feel hopeful. She left the cafeteria with Charlotte, trying to think of something Gabe might like for a birthday present.

Meanwhile, across the cafeteria, another conversation was taking place. Kazuya Aoi sat across a small table from Satellizer el Bridgett, a platter stacked with individually wrapped hamburgers between them. Kazuya was still carrying the borrowed BR-55 from the battle, except now it wasn't borrowed. He'd run across the Marine named Mustard and offered it back. At this the Marine, who had seen Alexis give Kazuya the weapon and seen him use it in battle, told him to keep it as a reminder that he'd survived a battle with the greatest enemy known to an entire universe. The young Limiter wore a distant expression as he chewed a bite of his burger. He wasn't as distraught over what had happened during the battle with the Covenant as he was before his conversation with Gabe, but he was still trying to work through things in his mind.

Satellizer ate in silence for a while, watching her partner. Finally her concern built up too much not to speak. "Kazuya," she said. "You haven't been yourself since the battle. Is something bothering you?"

"It's nothing," Kazuya said. "I'm just thinking."

"About the aliens we killed?" Kazuya nodded.

"I've seen what humanity faces.. You and I experienced war together several times. But that night…" His voice broke as he recalled the battle against the Covenant. "That night was unlike anything I've ever seen. It was like something from a nightmare. All the bodies and screaming and the blood… all that death all around us… and it was the enemy bleeding and screaming and dying too, not just us." He set his burger down and rested his head in his hands. "I can't seem to forget it. What's worse is that I was the cause of some of it. I caused the enemy to bleed; I made them die screaming for their lives."

Satellizer didn't speak for a moment. When she did her voice was soft and comforting. "Kazuya… ever since we met I've seen nothing but kindness from you. You're brave enough to face my brother or a Nova or anything else that means us harm. You've overcome so many things in just the short time we've known each other and yet you've never lost that kindheartedness that drew me to you in the first place." She reached across the table and took the Limiter's hand, allowing her own fingers to brush against his cheek in the process. "If not for you, I would have remained cold and broken for the rest of my life. You're a good person, Kazuya. I know you killed those aliens because it had to be done in order to protect the rest of us."

"But was it right?" Kazuya asked. "Do you think I had a right to kill those Covenant?"

"Yes," Satellizer said without hesitation. "You saw what they were doing to people. And from the information the UNSC released after the battle it seems as though we only saw a tiny fraction of how terrible the Covenant really are. You had every right to kill them. Not killing them would have been the same as killing the people around you, the same people that we as Pandoras and Limiters protect."

"I guess…" Kazuya's face split into a grin for the first time in a while. "I guess that means that the UNSC carry the hopes and dreams of all of us in their guns since they don't have stigmata, right?" The two looked at each other for a moment, both contemplating what he'd said, then he and Satellizer both began to laugh.

"I suppose so, although I certainly wouldn't want my dreams carried in the magazine of a rifle!" Satellizer smiled at Kazuya, relieved to see him joking around again. "But, then again… I guess their way is at least somewhat effective. After all, they do protect their own worlds with everything they have. Did you see the way they fought out there?"

"Yeah," Kazuya said. "It was unreal. The way they moved, the way they fought.. it was amazing. Each squad moved and fought as a single entity, and the squads moved in conjunction with each other like an even bigger being. It was like each person was a cell, each squad an organ, and the whole army one big creature." He leaned back and looked towards the ceiling thoughtfully. "I wish we could fight like that. Think about it: the power of a Pandora and her Limiter blended with the precision of the UNSC Marines. We'd be unstoppable!"

"Well, there is that Limiter crosstraining class the UNSC is doing," Satellizer said. "It's being taught by a SPARTAN and I heard it's supposed to be brutal, but maybe you could get in. Then you could teach me what you learn, and from there we could teach others."

"Maybe," Kazuya said. "But Arthur went to the first class. He said it wasn't so much combat training as it was survival training. They exercised for a long time then did a little bit of hand-to-hand combat. There was nothing about how to move and fight as a unit."

Satellizer's eyes focused on something over Kazuya's shoulder. The Limiter could see the focus of her gaze reflected in her glasses: the ODSTs of Echo Squad. "Maybe we could get that Gabriel to teach us," she said. "He's one of them, and he was clearly trying to move like that with us that night. He'd know how they operate."

Kazuya nodded at this idea. "Yeah, he would! And he seemed willing enough to give me advice last night. Maybe we could convince him to train us!"

"Wait, he gave you advice?" Satellizer said in a surprised tone. "What did he say?" She found it rather surprising that someone like him would just readily offer advice, especially after the way he'd repeatedly talked down to them during the battle against the Covenant.

"He just gave me a different point of view," Kazuya said. "He told me that it was our duty to destroy the enemies of humanity, whether those enemies are Nova, Covenant, or whatever. He also told me not to forget how I've been feeling because it's the only thing that'll save my humanity when this is all over."

"You know, I wonder if that man is bipolar," Satellizer said. "One moment he was cutting us down and telling us how stupid and worthless we are, then the next he's trying to make you feel better."

"Maybe he was only harsh because we were in battle?" Kazuya offered. "I mean, look at the soldiers over there." He pointed across the room to a group of Marines that were laughing and playing cards. "Two nights ago they were killing mercilessly, and now they're like a bunch of kids. Either that or maybe his harshness was a result of him worrying about us. That would mean he's a lot kinder than you give him credit for."

"I still say he's bipolar," Satellizer grumbled over her burger before taking another bite.

**UNSC Ace of Spades, engine room…**

The engine room of the Ace of Spades was a spacious chamber near the rear of the ship. The chamber had four levels of catwalks and balconies. Everything was built around the ship's reactors, a set of ten massive fusion cores linked to the actual thrusters on the exterior of the ship. The cores were doughnut-shaped units held within thick metal housings.

On one of the catwalks stood Lucy Renalt, the silver-haired Legendary Pandora who had posed as a member of the Valkyries until her sisters were awakened. Now the woman leaned against the railing of the catwalk, watching various technicians as they worked to restore the overworked engine cores.

The chief technician approached her as she watched, carrying a pair of cold metal cans in his hands. He was a short bald man with an eyepatch and several burns on his face and torso. His jumpsuit was unzipped and the arms were tied around his waist, revealing a powerful chest beneath a white undershirt.

"Lady, you ain't supposed to be here," the technician said. "But given what you girls did for us, I suppose I can look the other way for a little bit." He leaned against the railing and tossed Lucy one of the cans. She caught it and examined it for a moment then looked at the technician.

"What is this?" she asked.

"Backwater Ice," the technician said, opening his own can. He took a drink then wiped his mouth. "It's what your root beer evolved into five hundred years from now."

Lucy hesitated for a moment then opened her own can and took a sip. The cold, fizzy liquid within the can was a lot stronger than the drink it had supposedly descended from. In the hot engine room the cold drink felt good, prompting her to take another sip.

"So what's your name, lady?" the technician asked.

"Lucy," she said simply.

"Pleasure to meet ya, Lucy." The technician held out his hand to her. "I'm Phillip Lawrence, chief engineer of the Ace." Lucy stared at the offered hand for a moment. Feeling awkward the technician pulled his hand back and used it to rub his bald head. "So.. uh.. what brings you down here?"

"I was restless," Lucy said. "I have been confined to this vessel since I awoke last night. One can only stand staring at a ceiling for so long."

"I gotcha," Lawrence said. "Well, unless you want to hear about reactor temperatures and core overbalancing, I doubt you'll find anything interesting down here. It's the Land of the Nerds down here, dollface."

"Tell me."

Lawrence raised an eyebrow. "Uh… what?"

"Tell me about reactor temperatures and core overbalancing," Lucy said. "Or better yet, tell me how this machine works."

"It's not like a sword or a gun," Lawrence said. "It's a lot of technical stuff… I studied physics for eight years before I enlisted. That kind of thing…"

"So I am assuming that those large housings are some sort of reactor," Lucy interrupted. "The nature of nuclear reactors is that they create atomic reactions in order to produce heat and radiation. It seems as though the system works, although I am unsure of how. How can heat and radiation alone move a ship through the air?"

Lawrence stared at the woman for a moment, surprised. She had simply looked at the outside of the reactor housings and almost immediately figured out how the system operated. "Yeah, that's right," he said. He set about explaining the basics of sublight starship engines. The Legendary Pandora kept up well with his explanations, occasionally asking him to clarify a detail here or there. After she'd exhausted his supply of non-classified information she returned to staring at the technicians below.

"So what's your interest in starship engines, anyway?" Lawrence asked.

"I was bored," Lucy said plainly. "I wanted to put my mind to use and this is something I had no knowledge of."

"You sure are a weird one," the engineer said with a chuckle.

"Am I?" Lucy's response was as plain and emotionless as ever.

"Yeah, but it's not a bad thing. Most people would go for a walk or something. Not many people would relieve boredom by having a conversation about physics and its application to ship engines."

At that point a door at the bottom of the room opened and two more women entered: Windy May and Cassandra. Cassandra looked a bit shaken, as did the two Marines guarding her. Windy, however, looked like a child at an amusement park.

"Wow," she said, staring up at the nearest reactor core. "That thing is huge! Hey, you!" She nudged the nearest Marine. "What are those? Can I go inside them? What are they for?"

The Marine shook his head, looking exasperated. His eyes found Lucy and Lawrence standing on the catwalk above them. "Oi, Pandora!" he yelled. "Front and center! Hartman's arranged transport for y'all off of the Ace!"

The words weren't even all the way out of the Marine's mouth when Lucy vanished. In a heartbeat she reappeared before the stunned soldier. All three Marines escorting the Legendary Pandoras tightened their grip on their weapons. "When do we depart?" Lucy asked.

"Now," the soldier said. "We've got a Pelican waiting for you."

Lucy turned and glanced upward at Lawrence, who was still looking around on the catwalk to see where she'd disappeared to. "Very well," she said as her gaze returned to the Marines. "Lead the way."

As they left Windy walked close to her sister. "So what were those big metal things? These guys wouldn't answer me." Her voice sounded a bit disappointed.

**Shiori Tenshi District, near former Covenant staging area…**

Two Chevalier Pandoras walked slowly through the ghost town that was once a busy street, their Limiters in tow. A half-dozen Marines walked with them, their weapons in the alert position. Captain Larson had finally relented and allowed a single squad to move with Pandora escorts. Now the Chevalier soldiers were assisting this squad in sweeping a deserted street in the bright afternoon light.

The Marines suddenly froze, weapons coming up and panning back and forth. The two Pandoras stopped as well. One of the Marines signaled for a Pandora to move up. The woman did as she was instructed, her twin dagger Volt Weapons at the ready.

There was movement in an alleyway to the woman's left. She caught sight of a short, stocky shape disappearing behind a dumpster and rushed after it. She came around the dumpster to find a single Grunt with a pointed orange backpack cowering in the corner between the wall and the metal container. The creature looked to be scared out of its mind. The Pandora knelt down and moved a little closer, holding out her hand.

"It's alright," she said softly. "I won't hurt you."

The Grunt watched her for a moment, fear evident in its beady eyes. Then, ever so slowly, the Grunt moved out of its hiding spot and towards the Pandora. It sniffed at her hand through its facemask, chittering softly. The Pandora smiled, fascinated by the small alien.

A gunshot rang out behind the Pandora, making her jump. She suddenly found herself covered in bright blue blood. The Grunt flopped over, its head a ruined mass of bone and ruined meat. The Pandora looked over her shoulder to see a Marine with his sidearm out.

"What is wrong with you?!" the woman said, standing up and turning around fully to face the Marine. "You didn't have to kill it!"

"It's an enemy soldier," the Marine said. "We kill enemy soldiers."

"It was harmless! It was scared out of its mind and I was just about to win its trust!"

The Marine holstered his pistol then took a step towards the Pandora. "So what? Were you going to raise it as a pet or something?" The Pandora fell silent at this. "Listen chick, that bastard probably shot some mother and her baby last night. It's probably got the blood of dozens of innocent people on its hands. And given the chance, it would have killed more humans."

"You don't know that!" The Pandora sounded close to tears at this point.

"You're right." He turned away and started heading down the alleyway. "I don't know that for sure. But I know what the Covenant are like. I watched my own daughter get torn apart by Grunts. So yeah, I don't know what that particular Grunt would've done, but I know damn well what it could've done and that's enough for me. Now if you're done wasting time, we've still got eight more blocks to sweep."

The Pandora followed the Marine, still shocked by what had just happened. She kept close to her Limiter and as far from the Marines as possible. She found herself questioning these people's motives now. Surely they wanted to protect humanity.. but what crimes would they be willing to commit to do so? They'd already detonated a nuclear warhead near a city. Now they were demonstrating a savage cruelty towards their enemy on a level that even most Pandoras never reached. The brutality of a culture forged by constant war was starting to show, and this particular Pandora found herself terrified by it.

**Chevalier Research and Development Center, Pacific Ocean…**

Hidden in plain sight, an old oil drilling platform had been converted into a research facility by the Chevalier top brass. Officially, this rig was decommissioned and no longer existed. Unofficially, however, it was the sight of the Chevalier's secret projects.

Now, a woman stood in the director's office aboard the rig. This woman was tall and slender, with long black hair and dull green eyes. She wore a tight-fitting black bodysuit with glowing bands that circled her wrists, ankles, waist, and neck. A sleek helmet with a similar glowing stripe down the middle rested under her right arm. Her left hand held a data chip, which she gave to the director himself.

The director, an older man wearing a fine suit and a pair of glasses, took the chip and plugged it into the side of the computer on his desk. Immediately the screen began to display data on the UNSC's weapons, equipment, and ship.

"Good work, Maya," the man said. "Did you have any problems during your mission?"

"No sir, Director," Maya said. "But I do believe I have discovered a threat aboard the alien vessel."

"What kind of threat is it?" The Director didn't take his eyes from the screen, which now displayed an image of the MJOLNIR MkV armor the SPARTANs wore.

"Their systems were able to kill my software insanely fast. Our best supercomputers took three years to stop it. It adapted faster than even my program could." Maya's voice was calm and emotionless, but the woman was secretly nervous about this development. "I believe… Sir, I believe it could be some form of intelligent computer."

"What, you mean like an artificial intelligence?" The Director laughed. "Science is no closer to producing a true AI than it is to travelling time, Maya."

"But the UNSC already has travelled time. Their data shows the year as 2552." Maya looked at the screen, just barely able to discern the image of the SPARTAN-issue armor at this angle. "What if they've also developed an AI of some kind?"

"It would be a major threat," the Director said. "But we have no evidence to suggest that they do indeed have such a system. Until we do, we should just observe them and process the data you stole. Who knows? The little bit you stole might have some clue that might confirm whether or not they an AI."

"So what are my orders now, Director?" Maya still wasn't satisfied with this answer but she knew better than to argue with her superiors.

"Prepare for tonight's operation," the Director said. "I want you to observe Unit Zero in action. If our operation goes well, we will put our new toy to use in mass-producing the Amazon Stigmata."

"Yes sir!" Maya saluted then left the room. The Director watched her leave then looked back to his computer, reading more of the stolen UNSC data.

**West Genetics Academy, fourth-year boys dorm, room 303, 1630…**

Alexis knocked quietly on Gabe's door at half-past four in the afternoon, looking both directions down the hall in case someone was watching. The only person she could see was Corporal Carson, who was standing by the window at the end of the hall with his sniper rifle in hand.

At her knock the door opened and Davis ushered her in. "Come on, quick," he said. "You're late!"

"I'm sorry," Alexis said. "I got caught up doing something and couldn't get away." This was a lie. In reality she'd been searching through her belongings, desperately trying to find something to wear. She'd spent all day trying to find a gift for Gabe but since the UNSC was still conducting mop-up operations she'd been unable to leave the school.

"Whatever," Davis said in an annoyed voice. "Just go help Mitch with the grub."

Alexis was surprised at the progress the ODST team had made with the room. Streamers had been hung across the ceiling along with a banner that read "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PINPOINT!" Mitch had already prepared several platters of meats, cheeses, crackers, and sliced fruits. There were two bowls of chips, some sort of bean dip the ODSTs called 'the Ass-Blast Special,' and three pizza boxes. The ODST himself was currently chopping up vegetables and putting them into a pot cooking over a camp stove.

The rest of the squad was also hard at work preparing decorations and such. Alexis noticed that every one of them except for Holly Rose was wearing their black armor and carried their weapons. She figured that had to be expected given the fact that these were warriors of a race under constant threat, but it still seemed strange to her. It was especially strange to watch Mitch happily chopping vegetables like a newlywed while clad in battle armor and carrying a pistol and a shotgun on his leg and back respectively. Holly looked relatively normal in a set of black off-duty fatigues. Alexis felt rather out-of-place, having worn a deep-blue silk dress with a slash up one side that ran to her hip. She had done her hair in a small braid on either side of her face which reached her shoulders and let the rest ran down her back.

She stepped up next to Mitch, watching him cut away at a rather large onion. "Need any help?" she asked.

"Sure." The older soldier handed her a combat knife similar to the one he was using. "Start dicing up those carrots for me."

Alexis did as she was asked, although the tool she was given wasn't very good for the task at hand. Mitch was able to use it as well as a chef with a cooking blade, but Alexis wasn't even that skilled with a regular knife. Her 'dicing' was slow and came out ragged and uneven. "So what exactly are we making?" she asked as she fought with the combat knife.

"Well, if I'd had the right stuff it'd be moa stew," Mitch said as he sliced his onions. "But since moa are native to Reach I had to settle for some emu meat. The meat is… well, somewhat similar I guess. But I know Pinpoint loves moa meat so I figured I'd make his old favorite for him."

"I see." To Alexis, even the food from their world was a reminder of how different the ODSTs really were… how different she and Gabe really were. These people were from another world, and if they got the chance they would most likely return to that world.

Rack-Em suddenly burst through the door, closing it behind him. "Eyes on, people. Pinpoint just entered the building!"

"You heard the man," Davis said. "Kill the lights, everyone get ready!"

At once all seven people hid in the room, a surprising feat given how empty Gabe's room was. Mitch, Davis, and Rack-Em hid behind the bed. Holly opened the wardrobe and found it full of guns, but she managed to hide herself in among the weapons and close the door anyway. Rex ducked behind the dresser and Tate tucked himself under the desk. Alexis chose to hide behind the wardrobe, near the bathroom door. With the lights off she could barely see the line of light underneath the door to the dorm room. She waited, holding her breath…

Feet blocked out the light under the doorway. The door opened and Gabe entered, talking into his helmet microphone. The ODST turned on the lights and halted, surprised by the decorations and food. Before he could process what he was seeing his squad burst from their hiding places, yelling "Surprise!" and laughing like fools. Holly was the exception to this: in trying to escape from the wardrobe-turned-arsenal she fell through the doors, landing face-first on the floor with a pile of guns falling on top of her. Alexis laughed and knelt down to help her fellow Pandora while the ODSTs crowded around Gabe.

"You jackasses," Gabe said fondly as his comrades crowded around him. "I love the fuck out of all y'all!"

"Happy birthday motherfucker!" Davis said, pulling the younger man's helmet off in order to dig his knuckles into the soldier's scalp. His eyes came up and he noticed Alexis and Holly standing by the wardrobe, attempting to shove Gabe's guns back into the wardrobe. "Oh yeah," Davis said. "We've got a new recruit. Phoenix, get over here!"

Holly jumped as she heard her new callsign and went to join the other soldiers. "Hello Corporal Kinkaid," she said politely. "I'm Holly Rose. I'm from Genetics U.K. Your friends helped me out during the battle with the Covenant so I've decided to help them in return."

"Nice to meet ya," Gabe said. "Gabe Kinkaid, but apparently you knew that. I'm on loan to WesGen, so I guess that makes us an even trade." Holly laughed at this, prompting a grin from Gabe as well. Alexis watched from her spot by the wardrobe. She was happy to see him in such high spirits, but she wasn't quite brave enough. She was beginning to feel nervous about having come here.

Gabe's eyes found Alexis and read her expression. Just as the Pandora turned around to continue cleaning up the mess Holly had made the youngest ODST pushed his way through his comrades. The others watched as he knelt down next to Alexis and picked up one of his spare magnums. Alexis jumped up and stepped back from him.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly. "It got knocked all over the place and I didn…" She found her words suddenly cut off by the lips of her partner. Gabe had pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her, an action that made her feel as if she was melting in his arms. When they finished she looked up at him and smiled, her cheeks red. "You do know that everyone is watching us, right?"

"I really don't care," Gabe said. "I'm just happy to see you. I'm sorry for disappearing on you last night and today." He rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes wearily. "I've been busy with some stuff with some Chevalier doctor, plus the SPARTANs on the Ace needed new equipment so I had to arrange transport for that. It's been a long day and a half without you."

"I'm sorry too," Alexis said. "I've been working myself up, wondering if maybe… you know… I wasn't good enough the other night…" Her voice faded away, her cheeks reddening even more.

"Are you kidding?" Gabe said with a laugh. "I almost had a heart attack, and that was before we used the Ereinbar Set. Besides, you're my partner. Even if you were absolutely terrible I still wouldn't trade you for anything." At these words Alexis went as red as her face could go. Rather than answering she pulled him down for another kiss. She suddenly felt like a fool for doubting him.

"So… are you two idiots going to make out all night, or are we going to dig into the grub the squad wife made?" Rex asked, jerking his thumb towards the table where Mitch had set up the food. Mitch punched the black man in the shoulder at that, his gloved fist colliding with the ceramic and titanium plating before he went back to finishing the stew.

**UNSC Ace of Spades, bridge, 2100…**

Ensign Jack Harris watched his screen, feeling a drop of sweat roll down his back beneath his jumpsuit. It was his first day as the new comm officer for the Ace of Spades. The Admiral was sitting nearby in the command seat, reading over some reports from the battle with the Covenant.

As the comm officer watched he noticed some strange interference with his equipment. He tried to tune it out but the interference was only getting stronger. "Hey, Eldridge, you seeing this?" he asked of the man next to him, who the sensor officer and the second-in-command of the ship.

Lieutenant Colonel Eldridge leaned over, eyeing up the screen as well. "That's… not normal, kid." The sensor officer looked back to his own screen and messed with some controls. After a moment he scooted back, eyes wide.

"Ma'am!" he said. "We've got an unknown contact on the short-range sensors."

Admiral Hartman stood up and moved to stand behind Eldridge. "What is it?"

"I dunno ma'am. It's giving off the same signature as one of those Nova, but it's too weak to be one."

"Could it be a straggler from the other day?" Hartman asked.

"Uh… Negative, ma'am. It's a different signature. It's more like that creepy chick that showed up in the battlefield. The one that got hammered in the face." Eldridge worked further on his controls. "I can't seem to lock down its position either, but it looks to be moving away from us. The signal's getting weaker."

Hartman turned to Ensign Harris. "Divert two of our patrols. I want those Longswords to scan the area and see if they can't locate the source of the disturbance. Then I want you to get GenCom on the horn and see if they're reading this too."

The new comm officer set to his tasks in a hurry, not wanting to screw up his first day on the job. Lieutenant Colonel Eldridge watched him out of the corner of his eye. At first the rookie had seemed jumpy and uptight, but now that the moment called for it Harris seemed to have left his uncertainty behind and was carrying out his orders with speed and precision.

**West Genetics Academy, fourth-year boy's dorm, 2115…**

Gabe and the others had enjoyed a relaxing evening, mostly just sitting around and swapping stories. Gabe and Alexis had perched themselves side-by-side on the edge of his bed while the others found chairs or, in Rex's case, a box to sit on.

Carson stood up at a little after nine, saying something about needing some air. The ODST left the room and stood out in the hallway with his arms on the sill of the open window at the end of the hall. The cool night air felt good against his face.

"Carson, are you alright?" The ODST turned his head to see Holly standing near him, her eyes full of concern.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm just restless."

"I know what you mean." Holly leaned against the wall next to his window, looking back down the hallway. "It feels too peaceful. It's as if something bad is about to happen."

"You said it…" Carson looked back down at the ground outside.

"Hey… Carson…" Holly hesitated, trying to work up the courage to say what she wanted to say. She couldn't seem to get the words to work, however, and so she fell quiet again.

"Come on," Carson said. "The others will be.." Just as Carson turned he found his mouth obstructed by the lips of Holly Rose. He didn't resist the Pandora. Instead he put his hands on her elbows and returned her kisses until she finally pulled back. "Well… that was unexpected," he said in surprise.

"I'm sorry," Holly said quietly. She turned and walked off down the hallway towards the stairs. A few feet away she stopped. "I just… I just…"

"It's alright, Phoenix," Carson said. He stepped up behind Holly and put his hand on her shoulder. "I get it. You're lonely, right? You feel lost, like you're trapped between worlds right?"

Holly nodded, a tear running down her face. "For the last two years I've been with Luis. Now I've finally broken free of that nightmare, but I don't know where I belong now. I don't have a place in this world as a Pandora or as a woman."

"You do have a place Holly," Carson said. "You're one of us now. You're Phoenix, the newest member of Echo Company. Every one of those Helljumpers in there has accepted you as one of ours." His voice dropped as he continued. "And.. well, I'm just a farm boy from Reach so I'm not good with this kind of thing… but I think that sword of yours carved its way into me as well."

Holly turned, confused at first by what the soldier had tried to say. When her eyes found him, however, she suddenly realized what he was saying. "I…"

An explosion rocked the building, cutting off Holly in mid-sentence. The two shared a startled glance then ran towards the source of the explosion: Gabe's room.

Inside the dorm room was chaos. Gabe and Alexis had been knocked off the bed when the wall behind them exploded. Sergeant Davis and the other ODSTs had hit the floor for safety, although against an explosive like that there would be little to no safety.

"STATUS!" Davis bellowed.

"Everyone's alive," Rex said after a quick glance around.

Gabe moved towards the wall, which was now completely open. Below, he could see a figure standing in the courtyard. It was roughly the size of a normal human being, but it was made of some sort of hard black substance that reminded him of a Nova. One hand carried a large tan shape Gabe recognized as a Covenant fuel rod cannon, while the other held the grip of a massive blue metal contraption with three glowing panes of light extending from its nose: a Covenant plasma turret, their equivalent of a mounted heavy machine gun. Even at this range he could feel a Freezing effect coming from the object. It looked feminine, but it felt like a Nova. Was it perhaps one of those Pandora-form Novas?

"Everyone fall back," Gabe said. "Sarge, you guys get downstairs and give us cover fire. Alexis…" He looked at her and lowered his voice. "Are you with me partner?"

"Of course, Gabriel," Alexis said. Her Volt Weapon formed in her hands and she prepared to jump from the building. Gabe unhooked the plasma weapons he'd captured the other night from his armor and made the leap first. He hit the ground in a planter box, grateful for the soft landing despite having a body slightly enhanced by his stigmata. Alexis landed neatly next to him. She gave him a glance then focused on the enemy. "Why aren't you using your Volt Weapon, Gabriel?" she asked.

"Don't need it." This was a lie. In reality, Gabe was hesitant to manifest his weapon. After all, every time he had used it in the past he'd gone crazy with bloodlust and almost harmed someone. It was too much of a risk for him to take. Luckily Alexis didn't question further and they were able to focus on the Nova, which had turned its attention to them. Its cannon came up and took aim at the pair…

Just as Gabe and Alexis split they heard the massive report of an SRS99AM rifle. Gabe glanced up to see Rack-Em in the hole blown by the first attack, rifle in hand. Holly Rose stood beside him, her Volt Weapon at the ready. From what Gabe had heard she could even block fuel rod cannon fire with her defensive technique. He felt confident that his comrade would be alright until they could bring the Nova down.

A second shot from the ODST sniper knocked the weapon from the Nova's hand. Gabe had never seen that happen, but then again he'd never heard of a Nova using weapons either. It was very strange. There was no time for that now, however. The Nova opened fire with its plasma weapon, spraying a rapid-fire series of bolts at himself and Alexis. There was something off about the shots, however. They were much more powerful than the weapon should have been able to produce. The bolts tore through the air, blowing large chunks from the wall behind Gabe as he ran for cover.

A sudden upswing in gunfire caught his ears and he looked back to see Davis and the other ODSTs opening up on the Nova from the cover of the first-floor windows. Two submachine guns fitted with silencers, a shotgun, and an MA5C all spoke. The Nova turned its attention to the ODSTs, giving Gabe and Alexis a chance to move in. Gabe charged from the left while Alexis came in from the right. His plasma rifle spat bolts at the Nova but it avoided them easily before returning fire. With Gabe forced back into cover the Nova was able to attack Alexis, who didn't have the advantage of a ranged weapon. Her attack was cut short and she was forced back into cover with just a couple shots from the rapid-fire plasma cannon the Nova wielded.

"Air cover's arrived, boys!" At this sudden call over a PA system Gabe looked up, just in time to see a familiar Pelican: F290, piloted by Warrant Officer Williams. She had come to pick up the supplies the SPARTANs had requested, but when she'd seen the fighting going on she'd disregarded her orders in order to help the ODSTs. Now her Pelican's 70mm chin-mounted chaingun opened up, spraying hot lead on the target. The twin ANVIL-II missile pods built into the thruster housings spoke as well, several missiles breaking free of the craft and impacting on the Nova and its surroundings.

Gabe took advantage of the distraction to reach Alexis. The Pandora was leaning up against a planter box, clutching her leg. A plasma bolt had burnt through her dress and the flesh beneath. It was just a flesh wound, but the sight of his partner's blood roused something dark and terrible within Gabe. He knelt down and kissed her forehead. "Get back to Davis and the others," he said as he stood back up. "I'm gonna end this fucking bitch…"

The ODST charged out from behind Alexis's cover before she could stop him. He could feel that familiar bloodlust racing through him and for once he didn't mind it. He unhooked the plasma sword he carried as he closed the gap between himself and the target. The Nova turned and started an Accelerating Turn, one of the Pandora's high-speed attack techniques. Before it could, however, Gabe swung his blade upward. He was rewarded with a spray of blood and a feminine scream. At this his eyes widened. He'd cut off the arm that was carrying the plasma cannon, and much to his surprise the Nova was bleeding red blood… human blood.

"Holy shit.." Gabe whispered. His target wasn't a Nova. It was human.

The woman hit him with her remaining arm, knocking him into the wall of a nearby structure. Gabe's vision blurred at the sudden impact and it took him a moment to regain his senses. Just as he did he heard a familiar voice calling over the Pelican's external speakers.

"You piece of shit!" Williams screamed at the sight of one of 'her boys' being brutally smacked down. "Eat lead!"

Before Gabe could intervene the Pelican opened fire again. The 70mm rounds tore through the target's torso, splattering blood and meat across the pavement behind her. Gabe could only watch, horrified, as the woman was gunned down. Williams didn't stop shooting until the woman stopped moving. Gabe was mobile at that point. The ODST picked up his fallen weapons and ran to the woman's side. Her helmet vanished in the familiar light that he'd come to associate with Volt Textures and Weapons. She was young, maybe his own age. Her face was lined with sutures from some recent surgery and her irises were a black color. She gazed up at the ODST, a cruel smile spreading across her lips.

"I'm dead," she whispered. "But so are you, alien!"

As the words left her mouth the woman exploded. A massive ball of flame engulfed Gabriel and he felt himself thrown back yet again. This time he landed in a bush, tasting blood on his tongue. His fellow ODSTs ran from the building to help him but Alexis reached him first. As his vision cleared for the second time the first thing he saw was her face, worry written across her features. He glanced down to see that she was using her leg normally. Apparently her regenerative abilities were working just fine.

"Are you alright?" she asked. "What was that explosion?"

Gabe sat up, untangling himself from the bush. "I think she had a bomb," Gabe said. "That thing wasn't a Nova.. I think it was a Pandora."

Alexis gasped, stunned by this information. "A Pandora? But…" She glanced back at the large crater that had recently been their enemy. "I guess that did look like one of the old Pandora Mode suits." At the look Gabe gave her she explained a bit further. "Pandora Mode involves an armored suit that Pandoras can use with their Volt Textures. It gives us a massive boost in all of our attributes and lets us fight without a Limiter, but there's a catch. We can only use it for three minutes before we run the risk of nearly instant Novalization. And there is no coming back from that. The suits are rare and hard to repair, so we don't use it except in extreme emergencies."

"I see…" Gabe looked at the crater as well. He would have to explain this one to Hartman, and he highly doubted his Admiral would like what he had to say.

**Meanwhile, West Genetics Academy north wall…**

Maya sat crouched on the wall, watching through her suit's vision enhancements as Unit Zero was gunned down by one of the UNSC's absurd dropships. When Unit Zero stopped moving she noticed an ODST heading for the downed combatant. Her orders were to observe Unit Zero in action, and if Zero was defeated to make sure that the girl couldn't sell them out to the enemy. To that end the Unit had been implanted with an explosive device. Maya had the detonator, and as the ODST reached Zero she flipped the switch. A moment later the trooper was blown back by the explosion.

With her job done, Maya turned and leapt easily off of the wall. She walked straight past the two alarmed Pandoras at the gate, who didn't notice her at all. This was thanks to her Volt Texture, which allowed her to bend light in a similar manner to certain aliens that had been observed the night previously. It had been quite a shock to see that aliens had the same ability as she did, although she was less shocked when she finally found out that their power was technology rather than stigmata.

"Director," Maya called over her helmet mic. "The job is finished. Unit Zero failed. It looks like the last-minute addition of Covenant technology was a bad idea after all."

"Very well, Maya. Return to base. We'll debrief when you return." The radio clicked off at that point, letting her know that the Director had nothing further to say to her.

Secretly Maya was disgusted. Of course this was all for the betterment of humanity, but a human life had been cost in the battle. That Pandora was someone's daughter or sister. Maya had never had that, but she'd always felt bad for those that did and ended up losing those important people. But in the end her feelings weren't important. What was important was getting the job done, and to do that Maya would give up all of her compassion and do whatever she had to. Her feelings were kept deep inside, only to be brought out when she wasn't working…

_(A/N: So hey there folks! Sorry it took so long to get this one out! And I'm gonna warn y'all right now, the next few chapters might take a while too. But until then, enjoy the anticipation! Oh, and sorry for not revealing what the SPARTANs want with their new toys, that's for next chapter though! And to my faithful anon minio- I mean reviewer, I saw that image. I was actually considering that one for the ODST poster in order to appeal to the Limiter's "male sensibilities," but then I figured that the Limiters were kind of background characters and that a program that offered them glory and raw awesomness would be very appealing. I also thought of the guy from Predator: "It'll turn you into a sexual tyrannosaurus, just like me."_

_And in cause you're wondering what becomes of Teslad and Jeremy now that they're in separate locations... well, wait for the next chapter!)_


	18. Chapter 18

_(A/N: So a few of you have asked about incorporating further Halo ships or factions (such as the Flood or the relics left behind by the Forerunners) into the fanfic. Anything is possible, but for the moment I do not intend to bring anything Halo into the fic other than what came on the Ace and the Covenant cruiser or what the crew can make themselves._

_And to my ever-reviewing anon… Mate, that does sound like an interesting prospect. Perhaps you could do your own spinoff of my fic, or if I find time I could throw together a spinoff myself. For right now however.. hang onto your ideas, because they're epic.)_

**UNSC Ace of Spades, Storage Bay A14, three days after unknown Pandora attack…**

Consciousness came to life with the touch of a button. The first thing the consciousness knew was that it was alive. It was dark and quiet and the consciousness was scared. Then, as it tried to pierce the darkness around itself, the consciousness heard a voice.

"Hello there. Can you hear me?"

The consciousness searched for a way to respond. Speakers were found, and so the consciousness used them to give its answer. "Yes," a female voice said from those speakers. "I can hear you… where am I?"

"It's alright, Eris. You're in a safe place. My name is Jeremy-049. I'm the one who created you."

"You.. created me?" The consciousness, who had accepted the name Eris as soon as it was given, felt skeptical. "Who are you, exactly."

"I've given you data files that will teach you everything you'll need or want to know," the voice of Jeremy-049 said calmly. "Consider them a birthday present."

"Birthday?" This was a word Eris didn't know.

"Yes. Today is your birthday, Eris." As he said this Eris felt the presence of something… else. Her mind reached for it and found a mass of knowledge. In a matter of seconds she processed this knowledge and assimilated it into herself. She was Eris, serial number ERS6618-2. She was an AI construct based off of the mind of a human, a recently-deceased UNSC communications technician named Kate Hanson. Apparently the comm officer had been killed during a recent battle with a faction called the "Covenant." At the thought of the Covenant Eris processed what amounted to the digital version of a shiver.

As Eris processed her new data she took notice of her "surroundings." She sought out cameras, microphones, displays, and any other interface devices she could find. The SPARTANs had cut this room off from the rest of the ship's network and had Lodestone monitoring all systems just in case, but there were still systems the new AI could access within the room. They'd even set up a portable holotank for her so she could project an avatar for herself. This the AI did, using data from the cameras to figure out which way her avatar should face. The SPARTANs watched as a young woman in a dress similar to those worn in ancient Greece appeared before them. She held a golden apple in her right hand and lines of code circled her head like a halo.

"So, Jeremy," the AI said. Her voice sounded sassier, more confident and a bit mischievous. "You've given me more information than a human could ever process in her lifetime and, if I understand this right, humanity's most advanced cyber warfare suite. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you weren't just looking for an intelligent conversation partner."

"I like her already," Tess-102 said. "I'm curious as to where you got the CW software though." Her neon-toned eyes went to the squad leader, who gave a faint grin.

"That software was meant for another AI. That was the real reason we went to Reach." Jeremy wouldn't have normally spilled ONI secrets like this, but among his SPARTANs he could make an exception. "I was assigned to carry the software package to Reach so it could be implemented in a new AI they were making for Blue Team's next mission. I was never told to dump the data, so I still have a copy of it."

"Handy," Tess commented.

"And foreboding," Eris chimed in. "If you've given me this software then I'm assuming you need me to use it on someone. Is that right?"

"Yes." Jeremy nodded. "We have a mission for you. We need to be discrete, so an AI with the ONI cyber warfare package was the best option."

"Alright." The lines of code circling the AI's avatar began to move faster as she processed the AI equivalent of eagerness. "Where do I start?"

**West Genetics Academy, fourth-year girls dorm, room 343…**

For no apparent reason, Alexis found herself wide awake a few minutes before three in the morning. She spent the first few moments of consciousness listening to the room to see if there was anything out of place that might explain her sudden awakening. However, the only thing she could hear that wasn't usually there was the sound of another person breathing beside her.

The Pandora turned over to face her partner, who was sound asleep beside her. She had allowed Gabriel to stay in her room while his was repaired after the attack that had blown the wall of his own room apart. At first he had tried to argue, but in the end she had won out and now the ODST was sharing her bed.

Alexis was in no way disappointed by the idea of having Gabe stay with her, but the sequence of events that led to the arrangement still had her worried. An armored Pandora that had seemingly appeared from nowhere wielding Covenant technology… and the fact that Gabe's room was the enemy's first target was even more disturbing. Had Gabe somehow caught the attention of terrorists such as the ones that had attacked the Ace of Spades? Although Gabe had been convinced that the 'terrorist threat' was simply a cover-up for something else, Alexis was still inclined to believe in the Chevalier organization.

As she watched her partner's sleeping face she saw his eyes jerking under his eyelids. Alexis wondered briefly if he was dreaming. At the thought of dreams she recalled something she'd heard two of the third-years talking about. Rumor had it that if a Pandora tried to engage the Ereinbar Set with her Limiter while he was dreaming, she would be able to see his dreams.

At first Alexis had dismissed this as a preposterous tale, something little schoolgirls giggled about in between classes even though it had no actual basis in fact. But with Gabe sleeping with her it was tempting to try it. The more she thought about it the more insane it sounded.. but the more tempting it was to try it.

Gabe didn't stir when Alexis closed her eyes and reached out to him mentally, attempting to form their Ereinbar Set. For a moment nothing happened. Alexis sighed and rolled back over, feeling a bit disappointed. Of course it had been a stupid rumor…

Out of nowhere Alexis's vision went dark. She began to hear a strange alarm and the sound of voices, and she found that she couldn't move. After a moment her vision cleared and she could see around herself. She was in a large metal room, similar to the inside of the Ace of Spades. There were racks of weapons along one side of the room and the other had a number of seats. These seats were set within pods similar to the one Gabe had dropped in on the night they'd first met, the night the Ace had arrived.

Men in ODST armor were running for their pods, snatching up weapons as they went. Alexis found herself running too. She slid one of the small silenced submachine guns that used exclusively by the ODSTs into a storage slot next to the seat in her pod then sat down. At once the doors closed and the restraining harness folded down over her helmet. As it did the helmet's heads-up display kicked on, showing various readouts relating to her weapons, health, environment, objectives, and surroundings.

The pod suddenly began to move. The rack holding the line of pods slowly swung back along with three other similar racks: one above and two across the drop bay in a similar over-under arrangement. The bay doors slid open to reveal a planet below them.

The voice of Hank Davis came over her helmet radio and she could see the man's helmet displayed on one of the view screens mounted in the door. "Alright troopers! Shut up, strap in, and shove a cork up your ass!" His words were punctuated by the sound of mechanical clamps releasing and engines igniting. One hundred and twenty SOEIV pods began to drop from the bay and towards the planet below. A series of four high-pitched beeps sounded, followed by a lower tone. At the last tone her pod's clamps released, causing the vehicle to drop from the bay.

The ODST pods fell towards the planet below, passing through a floating junkyard. Large structures floated around them in various states of destruction. Many of the smaller chunks of metal glowed from extreme heat. It wasn't until she noticed several corpses floating in the vacuum that Alexis realized what she was looking at. They were dropping through the wreckage of a UNSC fleet. She didn't recognize the ships but they were at least partially similar to the Ace. Her pod passed the rear of a large, hexagonal warship that had been blown in half. The two main engines fired erratically, reminding her of a dying animal twitching in its last moments.

A sudden burst of brilliant blue caught her attention and she looked up. Her gaze caught hundreds of purple and gray forms against the dark of space. There were many cruisers like the one that had attacked the Shiori Tenshi district, but there were many other shapes as well. Some were larger, including few massive ships that made the Ace of Spades look like a child's toy. There were also many smaller ships of various sizes and shapes. But all of the Covenant ships had one thing in common: they were raining hell on what remained of the desperate UNSC fleet.

The ship they'd dropped from was moving away to engage the enemy fleet. It was much smaller than the Ace and had a triangular shape to it. She could barely make out the words written on the side of the hull: "Like A Rock." It appeared to be the name of the vessel. It also appeared that the ship had the same resistance to Covenant plasma weapons as a rock did. As Alexis watched a plasma torpedo hit the ship near the rear. A series of secondary explosions occurred along the ship's flanks before the back exploded, vaporizing the rear third of the ship and sending the rest drifting lazily towards the planet. Alexis briefly wondered how many poor souls had died aboard that ship.

A faint reddish haze began to form around her pod as it entered the planet's atmosphere. This haze quickly turned into a full-fledged inferno which lasted for several minutes. Finally the flames died when the pod hit the thicker air below. Alexis guided her pod, or rather her hands guided it towards her designated landing site. She could see two Covenant battlecruisers hovering above the city. As her pod dropped lower and lower she could see various flashes of light in the streets and buildings: the blues and greens and purples and pinks of Covenant energy weapons clashed with the fiery yellows and reds of human guns. The entire city below was engulfed in battle.

The pods landed in a half-kilometer area within the city, near the coastline. Alexis grabbed her weapon and rushed from her own pod the moment the door blew open. An ODST ran up to her from his own pod. Her VISR displayed the man's name over his head: Sergeant H. Davis.

"You alright kid?" Davis asked her.

"Yes sir!" Gabe's voice issued from her mouth. It surprised her for only a moment before she remembered that this was his dream. In the mean time she was running, following Davis and the other ODSTs of Echo into battle. Their squad had landed in what looked like the runway of a giant airport. Several large craft were on the tarmac. Each of the ships had a fairly aerodynamic shape. Two large engines were mounted in the middle of each stubby 'wing,' and each ship had a tail like a modern airplane. They were like a cross between a commercial airliner and a UNSC starship. Thousands of civilians were boarding the ships in a panic. Alexis and the other soldiers ran past the crowds of people, headed for the terminal. She could see a firefight raging within the airport terminal, one that she was apparently supposed to join.

Two squads of soldiers were fighting hard within the terminal. They weren't clad in the green Marine armor like the soldiers from the Ace of Spades. Instead, their armor was a lighter and more rounded model of a tannish color. She'd heard Gabe talk about the UNSC Army once… were these the Army uniforms?

There was not time to ponder the uniforms of the other soldiers. The Covenant were swarming the terminal, trying to get to the fleeing civilians. Already there were dozens of civilian bodies strewn about the place as a result of a previous attack. The sight made Alexis feel sick to her stomach. It was clear what they were here to do: they had to stop the Covenant from killing those people. But it wouldn't be easy. Altogether there were roughly thirty human soldiers. The hundreds of Covenant troops were forced to use a pair of entrances to the terminal, bottling them up and slowing them down. But it was still a hard fight, one the UNSC ultimately couldn't win. To make matters worse there were no SPARTANs or anything like that to help them. All they had were a handful of soldiers and what gear they'd carried with them.

The roar of engines suddenly filled the terminal. One of the massive transports was lifting off. A smaller tri-hulled UNSC ship was moving into position over the city to cover the evacuating transports. The ship's weapons were ablaze: autocannon rounds flew in streams from the ship's guns; missiles blasted free of their housings and raced off towards the nearest enemy cruiser. The entire starport shook as the ship fired it's MAC cannon.

"That frigate won't last long," Davis yelled over his comm. "Get those transports airborne!"

"Roger that Echo One," one of the transport pilots replied. "We're loading the last of the civilians now. Hold out as long as you can down there!"

Alexis continued shooting, cutting down a pair of Grunts that had entered the terminal. The UNSC lines were being pushed back; several of the Army troops had been killed already and their comrades were running low on ammo. The ODSTs held their ground while the Army troops fell back towards the starships with their wounded. Davis yelled for the others to board the next transport, and that he and the ODSTs would take the last one.

More Covenant entered the room, firing their various weapons at the ODSTs. A bright blue plasma bolt flashed past Alexis's head and she ducked into cover, taking a moment to switch out her SMG's magazine before coming up over the counter she was using for cover.

As she came up a bright blue glow caught her eye. A Grunt had taken a plasma grenade in each hand and primed them both. Now the little alien was running at her as fast as it's short legs would take it in a kamikaze attack. Alexis shot the Grunt between its eyes and the alien flopped forward. Unfortunately the grenades were still hot. Alexis tried to run but it was too late. The grenades detonated, flinging Alexis back and into a wall. She fell face-first onto a pile of suitcases and knew no more…

Alexis woke from the dream then, her heart racing. Beside her Gabe was sitting straight up and breathing hard. Sweat rolled down his back and his eyes were wide. It took him a moment to realize where he was. His eyes went to Alexis, who sat up, put her arms around him, and held the frightened ODST to try and calm him down.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "Bad dream."

"I know," Alexis said quietly. "I saw it too."

Gabe pulled back and gave her a confused look. "What do you mean, you saw it?" Alexis explained the rumor to him and how she'd tried it, only to find herself watching a battle with the Covenant from his point of view. Gabe was quiet until she finished. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked once she'd stopped.

Alexis looked up at him, surprised. "What do you.."

"What the hell gives you the right to invade my mind like that?" he asked angrily.

"We're partners!" Alexis said defensively. "We've shared our senses through the Ereinbar Set before! Not to mention the face that I've shared my body with you! Have you forgotten the night you spent learning every one of my most intimate details?!"

"That's different," Gabe said. "If I'd known you were going to use sex as an excuse to try something like this I would have never done it with you! And I can work with that Ereinbar crap because it's both ways and it's something we need for combat. But just helping yourself to my mind is too damn far! I don't know if it's something that's considered acceptable here but it's sure as hell not where I come from!"

Alexis fell quiet for a moment. In her curiosity she'd forgotten something important. Gabe was from a completely different world, one where things like the Ereinbar Set didn't exist. Of course he'd be upset. She'd pretty much just infringed on his rights as a human being. The Pandora let her gaze fall to her knees. "I apologize, Gabriel," she said softly. "I didn't mean to offend you. I was just curious about the kinds of things you dreamed of. I never should have forced myself upon you like that."

Gabe stared at her for a bit then put his arms around her. "If you want to do something like that, ask me first. That way I at least have a choice in the matter." His lips touched her forehead lightly. "So… you saw all that, huh?"

Alexis nodded. "Yes. Was it… a memory?"

"Yeah." Gabe stared off into space, recalling the memory. "That planet was Reach. It was my second drop of the battle. We had just boarded the destroyer Like A Rock when we got orders to redeploy and assist with the defense of the New Alexandria Starport. We didn't stay down there very long, only long enough to get the civilians out of the city. After I was knocked out the squad pulled back and dragged me onto one of the transports. The transports linked up with the Ace, which then went and dropped the civilians off at a military station in the Sol system. From there it was reassigned to investigate Waypoint Station along with the remnants of another battlegroup. That's the mission that led us here."

"What happened to the other ODST teams that dropped?" Alexis asked. "There were a lot of pods but only your squad was in that battle."

"The others went to assist other evacuations," Gabe said. "I don't know how many of those soldiers made it out, but I hear it wasn't very many."

Alexis was quiet again. She'd known Gabe was from a world at war with aliens. She'd known the Covenant were a powerful, terrifying enemy bent on the death of every human being in the galaxy. But she'd never truly processed it, not even after seeing them in person. But now she'd seen what it was like to be on the other side, fighting that unwinnable war. Her heart was breaking for the man beside her. Just from that tiny taste she'd gotten of his life she was feeling hopeless, as if everything around her was doomed to fall at the hands of this horrifying enemy.

"Gabriel," she finally whispered. "How important is this fight to you?"

Gabe raised an eyebrow. "You mean the war against the Covenant?" Alexis nodded. "That should be obvious," Gabe said. "It's my life. I've made the choice to be a soldier. I can't go back on that decision. I can only either win the war or give my life trying to win."

"So… if I asked you to give it up, would you?" she asked.

Gabe raised an eyebrow at this. "Give it up?"

"Well… I've been thinking about retiring. Pandoras and Limiters have the option to either retire or join the Chevalier regular forces at the end of their fourth year. I was thinking we could retire together. Maybe we could buy a boat and sail the oceans together. Or maybe we could buy some piece of land and live as peaceful farmers."

"What's this all about?" Gabe asked. "You're a warrior, aren't you?"

"I'm… I'm just so sick of it." Alexis leaned closer and laid her head against Gabe's chest. "I'm sick of the endless fighting. And after seeing what's over there in your world I don't want to lose you to that war either. So please just… just stay with me. Don't go back to the war. Run away with me somewhere. We can live peacefully somewhere rather than spending our lives fighting."

"And what about everyone else?" Gabe asked quietly. "Are we supposed to just hide ourselves away while the world we care about is destroyed and everyone we love dies? Who's going to fight for Alana when the Nova come for her life? I know it's hard, Alexis. God, how I know. But that's all the more reason to keep fighting. If we run away nothing will ever change. We'll never have our freedom if we don't fight for it."

"I know it's selfish," Alexis said. "It's cowardly and irresponsible and unbecoming, but I don't want to fight anymore."

"I think I know what you need," Gabe said with a small smile. "Just leave it to me. I'll get it set up."

"Get what set up?" she asked.

"You'll see."

**UNSC Ace of Spades, Bridge, 0400…**

Admiral Lucia Hartman stood on the bridge of her tired warship and glared down at the holotable. Around her, the crew was working diligently in order to avoid incurring the wrath of their already-wrathful commanding officer.

'The nerve of these bastards,' Lucia thought to herself. 'We've coddled them, we've bent over backwards to meet their requests, we've lost nearly two thousand good men and women in their defense, and this is how they repay us? By stealing our technology and attacking our soldiers?' Her fists clenched on the glass top of the holotable. 'God how I wish we could just bomb the hell out of them all!'

Back before the Human-Covenant War, Admiral Hartman had been a commander in the Freedom and Liberation Party, a terrorist faction active during the Insurrection that had been responsible for the detonation of a nuclear device on the planet Mamore. She'd been a young woman at the time but her cunning tactics had won her the respect of her comrades. She gained a reputation for her strategies as well as her fiery temper. When the Covenant had made their bloody debut Hartman had ordered all of the FLP forces under her command to disband and promptly joined the UNSC in order to help fight the Covenant. In the years since she'd kept her temper under control… but the Chevalier had nearly dragged it to the surface by this point.

The thing that had set her off was displayed on the viewing screen behind her on the back wall of the bridge. SPARTAN-139 was out in the Pacific Ocean investigating a signal that they'd detected, one matching the Pandora that had attacked Corporal Kinkaid and the rest of Echo. A Pelican had dropped the SPARTAN just outside radar range of the signal, from which point the supersoldier had swam with the help of a underwater propulsion system made from an old torpedo. UNSC engineers could be very resourceful when they needed to.

The feed displayed on the screen was from an Oracle R-Variant scope mounted on an SRS99AM sniper rifle. Unlike the regular scope, the Oracle system hooked directly to the user's helmet display. It had been stripped of the enhanced vision filters found on the N-Variant Oracle scope and had a massively upgraded range. In one case an R-Variant Oracle had been used in tandem with an elevated position to take out a Covenant Prophet from two miles away, a record-breaking shot.

Now the feed from the SPARTAN's scope was being displayed on the monitor on the Ace. It showed a large structure floating in the water, some sort of platform on large legs that presumably connected to some sort of flotation device under the water. Lodestone had been the first to recognized the structure as an old oil drilling platform, the kind of which had become obsolete and been dismantled with the invention of efficient hydrogen processors in 2232. This platform had also been decommissioned, but instead of dismantling it the owners had rebuilt it into something new. It was hard to miss the Chevalier markings on the platform.

Now, thanks to their reconnaissance, the commanding officer of the Ace was certain that their mysterious attacker had come from that facility. All of the pieces fit perfectly: the Pandora, the stolen technology, the underwater Nova signal. She still wasn't one hundred percent clear on the subject, but was certain that the Chevalier were behind the attack. This put her in a tough spot, however.

Jeremy-049 entered the room, immediately drawing the Admiral's attention. "About time you showed up," she said. "Take a look at this." She indicated the screen that still displayed the telemetry from the SPARTAN in the ocean. "We're reading more of those unknown Pandoras in there. And look whose flags are flying over that place."

"Chevalier. So they're attacking us now?" Jeremy sounded a bit disappointed.

"I'm still certain they were behind the attack against the Ace as well," Hartman said. "Many of the crew seem to agree, including Corporal Kinkaid."

Jeremy considered the situation for a moment. "But if they're not declaring open war then we really can't do much without making ourselves look like the aggressors. They've got tactical and political advantage."

"That's why we need to hit them hard enough that they can't talk about it. We go in and wreck them. Leave no survivors and no evidence." Lucia turned to the holotable, which immediately began to display a 3D model of the platform. "I remember you talking about a plan, SPARTAN. I think it's time to let me in on your secret."

Jeremy shifted his weight within his armor. "We've created an artificial intelligence using the brain of the comm officer that was killed during the battle with the Covenant and equipped her with the most advanced intrusion and cyberwarfare software ever created by human beings," he said. "Our intention is to infiltrate a Chevalier facility and locate the stolen data and cloning device."

Hartman turned to the SPARTAN again, both eyebrows raised. "That was… certainly not what I expected," she said. "But I can work with this. In fact, I think your plan and mine will work perfectly if we execute them at the same time."

"I'm listening," the SPARTAN said.

"We send in a strike team." Hartman pointed to the 3D model of the platform. "We get everything we can from the place then set off a FURY tactical nuclear weapon. We take out those things and the people that created them all at once." The entire bridge went silent at the Admiral's words.

"And what happens if the Chevalier decide to reveal our attack to the public?" Jeremy asked. "It'll be hard to miss a giant mushroom cloud, you know."

"Even with the cloud there shouldn't be any evidence left to link us to the blast," the Admiral said. "But if worst comes to worst, we can release all of our own data on the Chevalier. If we get something good from that station it'll serve as a trump card. They'll be too busy dealing with their pissed-off citizens to worry about us."

"I see," Jeremy said. "Alright. I'll prep my team. We'll be ready to move in five."

"Not so fast." An image of a certain ODST appeared on the surface of the holotable. "I want you and Corporal Kinkaid to handle this one together."

"Just the two of us, ma'am?" Jeremy couldn't see the reasoning behind pulling his SPARTANs off of this mission.

"If we deploy all of our SPARTANs it'll be painfully obvious. Especially Tess-102 given the fact that she's teaching the Limiter cross-training program." Lucia's eyes went to the image of Corporal Kinkaid. "But him… he's just an ODST with a tendency to get himself into trouble. No one will question him being called back to the ship. Not to mention the fact that Kinkaid has actual combat experience against that new unknown Pandora system, something you lack. And you're back and forth between the ship and land all the time anyway so no one will find you suspicious either."

"Understood ma'am," Jeremy said. "I'll retrieve one of our FURY devices and the Corporal. How long until the operation commences?"

"One hour. I want you out of there before sunrise." Hartman walked towards the door and headed out of the room. "Dismissed, SPARTAN."

Jeremy gave the floating projection of the oil platform another glance before leaving the room as well. It wasn't ideal conditions but he had his orders, and those orders were to prepare himself and Corporal Kinkaid for battle with the Chevalier. Going against orders simply wasn't an option for a SPARTAN-II.

**West Genetics Academy, Cafeteria, 0420…**

Neither Gabe nor Alexis had been able to get back to sleep after their shared nightmare so they'd decided to hit the breakfast line early. The cook staff were finishing the first dishes when the two walked in. Not wanting to get in anyone's way, the two sat at their usual table and waiting. Gabe was sipping on a cup of coffee and looking something up on a datapad he'd hooked to the school's network, allowing him access to their internet as well as a limited connection to the Ace of Spades' network. At the moment he was comparing his paycheck to some prices for resort stays and airline tickets he'd pulled up on the internet and being careful not to let Alexis see what he was doing.

Alexis, bored with her secretive and untalkative partner, started looking around the room. The only other occupants were a squad of Marines that had been out on patrol all night and a group of four women Alexis recognized as the Legendary Pandoras. One of the women was staring out the window in the general direction of the Ace of Spades, which was on the other side of the island and out in the water. The other three were watching her with some interest.

"It's pretty strange to see her this way, the redheaded Windy May said quietly. "She's been like this ever since we got back. Do you think she left something on the ship?"

The silvery-haired Lucy Renalt watched her sisters for a moment before speaking. "Haven't you noticed? She is obsessed with one of _them."_

"Who's them?" Windy's eyes went to her other sister now, finally breaking from the still-silent Teslad.

"Those SPARTAN soldiers. The ones in the green armor. She was following one around like a terrier for some time. But now that she has been banished from their ship she can't follow him anymore." Lucy took a drink of her tea, looking bored with the conversation. "She is clearly upset about this fact."

Windy turned to look at Teslad, watching her for a moment longer. "I see… Maybe we can convince them to let her back on? Or maybe have them send her friend here?"

"I doubt that would work." Lucy's disinterest was even more obvious as she was forced to continue talking on the subject. "We have no argument that could convince them to comply with our requests."

None of the Legendary Pandoras noticed a familiar figure in green armor entering the room. Alexis did, however, and she nudged Gabe to get his attention. The SPARTAN walked right to the two and looked down from behind his mirrored visor, apparently focused on Gabe.

"Corporal Kinkaid," the voice of Jeremy-049 said over the helmet's external speakers. "You need to suit up and get your equipment together. We're being deployed."

"Deployed?" Gabe asked. "What's the mission Chief?"

"Classified. There's a Pelican waiting for you near the west gate. Get your gear and report to the dropship ASAP. And leave your Pandora here. This is UNSC business." Jeremy turned to walk away but found himself stopped in his tracks. Teslad had heard the SPARTAN's voice and taken notice. Now, as he started for the door, the Legendary Pandora grabbed him and hugged his armored frame tight enough to cause his energy shields to flare, golden light crackling across the surface of his armor.

"I'm sorry, Teslad," Jeremy said. "But I can't let you tag along today." The Pandora gave him a reproachful look but said nothing. "Tell you what, if you stay here I'll let you follow me around all you want when I get back. Deal?"

"Don't make me wait long," Teslad muttered. She turned on her heel and walked back to the table where the other three Legendary Pandoras sat watching, all of them shocked to hear Teslad finally speak. Alexis, meanwhile, gave a small giggle at the display before her.

"It looks like your SPARTAN friend found himself a girlfriend," she said to Gabe. "Good for him! Maybe he won't be quite so rude anymore."

Gabe laughed and stood up. "We'll see how long it lasts.. more than likely she'll see something she shouldn't and get a bullet in the brainpan." He leaned down and kissed Alexis then started towards the door himself. "I'll be back soon," he said over his shoulder. "When I get back I'll show you what I'm planning, alright?"

"You'd better!" Alexis called after the ODST as he disappeared.

Jeremy made his way back to the Pelican, reaching into one of his armor compartments and withdrawing a data chip as he did. The chip was a hyper-dense slab of memory crystal in a metal housing. He took a breath and slid this housing into the receptacle at the back of his helmet. Every MJOLNIR Mk. V suit had a layer of memory crystal built into the bodysuit, allowing the armor to support an artificial intelligence. And that was exactly what was on the data chip he'd inserted into his helmet.

As the chip clicked into place he felt a sudden stab of pain in his head, as if someone had jabbed a spike into the back of his head. That pain was suddenly replaced with a bizarre sensation. It felt like ice-cold water was being poured into his mind. A moment later a synthesized female voice spoke in his earpiece.

"Well it's about time!" Eris complained. "It was so boring in that thing!" The AI took a moment to take stock of her new surroundings. "So this is what it's like in your head. Plenty of open space, that's for sure. Hello!" The word 'Hello' repeated several times, each time quieter than the last like an echo. Jeremy slapped the side of his helmet, drawing a funny look from two Pandoras that he was walking past. "Sheesh, fine Mr. Grumpy," the AI said. "You need to learn to take a joke."

Jeremy checked to make sure his external speakers were turned off then spoke into the mic so that only the AI could hear him. "Focus, Eris. We've got work to do."

"Yeah I know." What little data they had on the oil platform began to appear on the SPARTAN's heads-up display. "Infiltrate the facility, take back any UNSC property, and blow the place up. Sound about right?"

"This is serious, Eris." Jeremy was beginning to have second thoughts about this plan. Their new AI friend was completely untested and she was messing around an awful lot. What if she had the attention span of a teenager? They couldn't afford mistakes on this mission. "I need you to focus on the mission. If you can't do that I'll have to decommission you."

"I am entirely focused on the mission," Eris said with an insulted tone in her synthesized voice. "I'd say I'm even more focused than you are, you armored gorilla. Now, if you don't mind I'm going to analyze the images SPARTAN-139 sent and try to come up with a plan of attack."

Jeremy went quiet to allow the AI to do her plotting, pleasantly surprised by this change in her attitude. Perhaps there was hope for her after all. For the time being he continued towards the Pelican in order to wait for Corporal Kinkaid.

The familiar face of Sarah Williams poked around the cockpit door as Jeremy arrived at the dropship. The pilot grunted then returned to the inside of her cockpit, clearly growing impatient. Jeremy ignored her and settled into the troop bay of the Pelican, or the "blood tray" as it was commonly referred to by the Marines.

Meanwhile, Gabe had made it back to Alexis's room and retrieved his gear. ODSTs tended to travel light and Gabe was no exception. He only brought his pistol, his SMG, and a couple of grenades along with his captured energy sword. He'd spent a day and a half putting together a mount for the weapon. He'd come up with a mount under his armguard with a spring-loaded launcher, a retractable cord, and a magnetic clamp. The system flung the weapon forward and into his hand when he wanted it. When he didn't want the weapon anymore the cord pulled the sword back into position. This primed the launcher and made the weapon ready to use again.

As the Helljumper made his way towards the waiting Pelican he ran into an all-too-familiar redhead. Amelia Evans stopped him outside one of the faculty buildings, her hands on her hips.

"Where do you think you're going, Gabe?" she asked. "We've got work to do today, remember?"

"Tell the doctors I won't be there," Gabe said shortly. "I'm being recalled to the Ace for a little while."

Amelia's eyes narrowed at this. "I don't suppose you can tell me what you're going to be doing?"

"Nope," Gabe said, moving around her in order to get by and continue on his way. "ODST business."

"That's fine," Amelia said. "It seems your biggest breakthroughs come when you're in combat anyway. Maybe this will be a chance for you to make some improvements to your stigmata usage. Either way, just remember the techniques I've shown you. And make sure you come back alive." She gave him a small grin then turned and started off the other direction. "I'll be pissed if someone takes away my playmate, so hurry back."

Gabe turned and looked back at her retreating figure, surprised by her words. She'd never been that friendly towards him, and she had certainly never referred to him as her 'playmate' before. Something about hearing that from the woman who regularly kicked his ass made him nervous, but he didn't have time to dwell on it.

Two minutes later Gabe entered the back of the waiting Pelican, feeling slightly relieved to see that it was the familiar graffiti'd F290 that awaited him. Having a pilot he knew along would make this mission a hell of a lot easier, no matter what it was. He still wasn't sure just what he was supposed to be doing.

As he sat down across from the armored SPARTAN-II he noticed an object on the seat next to Jeremy. It was about the size and general shape of an oversized football, with a display screen and a keypad on one side. He had never used such a device but he knew damn well what it was: a FURY tactical nuclear weapon. He knew that such weapons were generally only deployed in dire situations where nothing else would work. The weapon was pretty much a big nuclear grenade, albeit one with enough power to obliterate a CCS-class battlecruiser. Their use and deployment were strictly controlled by the highest-ranking officers in the UNSC, usually through the Office of Naval Intelligence. It wasn't something that was sent on normal missions, and that fact made Gabe incredibly worried. Something big was going down and he was in the middle of it whether he liked it or not.

"So what's the mission, sir?" Gabe asked as the Pelican lifted off. Jeremy waited until the ship had cleared the wall of the academy before speaking.

"We're going to hit a Chevalier installation," he explained. "We have evidence that indicates that the unknown target that attacked you and the rest of Echo Squad was a Chevalier construct, and that it may have originated from the facility we're about to hit."

"What is the facility?" Gabe wasn't sure he liked the idea of attacking the Chevalier with so little proof, but he wasn't about to argue with orders from Hartman. And if the SPARTAN-IIs were involved then this had to have come from Hartman herself.

"A decommissioned oil drilling platform refit into some sort of facility. We'll know more once we board the platform." Jeremy began transferring what data they had to Gabe's VISR system. Gabe opened to received files and began looking them over, his face growing grim behind his mirrored faceplate.

"So what are our objectives?" he asked as the Pelican left the city and headed out over the open sea.

"Board and investigate the Chevalier platform. We will use an artificial intelligence carried in my armor to gather as much intel as we can before detonating this here nuke." The SPARTAN pointed to the bomb sitting next to him as if Gabe didn't already know what the device was. "Mission command falls to myself, so if things change I'll let you know."

"Resistance?" Gabe asked.

"We're expecting the place to have a heavy Pandora presence. That's why we'll be going in underwater." Jeremy pointed to the cargo netting above Gabe, which the trooper now noticed contained what looked like two old torpedoes with handles welded onto their bodies.

Gabe opened his mouth to inquire about the devices, but he found himself cut off by Williams. "Getting a comm from Hartman," the pilot said. "Putting it on the speakers."

Admiral Hartman's voice filled the troop bay of the Pelican. "We're receiving a distress signal from the platform," she said. "Chief Petty Officer, you and the Corporal are to make best possible speed to that station and board it via one of the helipads. Secure the station if possible and keep me advised of the situation. SPARTAN, the package is to be used at your discretion. The rest of Pink Team is standing by if you need them. Ace of Spades out."

Gabe looked to the SPARTAN, suddenly feeling even more uneasy about this mission. "What do you think, SPARTAN?" he asked.

"I think we're in for a busy day." Jeremy stood and reached into the netting over his own head, trading the silenced SMG he'd been carrying for a standard-issue MA5C assault rifle. He stuck the rifle to the magnetic weapon mounts on the back of his armor then began taking spare clips from a box in the netting, sliding them into his armor's storage compartments. Gabe watched this but didn't move, preferring to stick with what he'd brought with him. He had plenty of ammo for his SMG and a couple of spare magazines from his pistol, as well as a combat knife in a sheath mounted on his chestplate and his energy sword and the two grenades. It wasn't a massive arsenal, but he could dish out plenty of punishment with what he had. And if worst came to worst he had the option of using his stigmata.

The two warriors checked over their equipment in silence, preparing for whatever they might find on the Chevalier platform.

**West Genetics Academy, physical training grounds, 0445…**

Tess-102 had set up a firing range on the academy's running track, and now twenty-five Limiters were using this range. Tess had ordered the Limiters in her class to report to the range for some early-morning training. Her reasoning was that the enemy could attack at any time and they had to be prepared to fight at a moment's notice. Secretly, however, she wanted to make an appearance in order to keep anyone from becoming suspicious of Gabe and Jeremy's departure.

Now she had her Limiter students lined up, each one armed with the standard-issue pistol carried by UNSC Marines and naval crewmen alike. Tess walked up and down the line behind the Limiters, barking at them as they practiced.

"Remember, in battle you won't be fighting pieces of paper!" she roared. "You'll be facing a foe that actively wants to kill you! Marisota!" She stopped behind one of the Limiters, who had been standing still and taking shots at his target. "Do you not remember what I JUST taught you not even five minutes ago about moving?!"

"I remember, ma'am!" The Limiter said in a loud but shaky voice.

"Then what, pray tell, did I teach you?"

The Limiter took a second to recall what had been said that might indicate what he was being yelled at for. "Um… moving?"

"Exactly!" Tess turned and spoke to the Limiter group at large. "The word 'MOVE' is an acronym! It stands for 'Motionless Operators Ventilate Easily!' If you geniuses don't want the enemy to install a sunroof in your skull, I'd suggest you remember that!" At these words the Limiters stepped up their game, taking shots while moving from one side of their respective firing lanes to the other.

The SPARTANs yelling and the continued gunshots were suddenly drowned out by the sound of the academy's PA system. Alexis, who had been sitting on the lawn watching the training with a couple other Pandoras, perked up at the sound.

"All fourth-year Pandoras report for duty! A Chevalier medical station has been attacked and they are requesting urgent assistance! Repeat, all fourth-year Pandoras retrieve your Limiters and report for duty!"

Alexis stood up quickly. She'd been lazy that morning and used her Volt Texture to form her uniform rather than wearing actual clothes. They did the job just as well as regular clothing, even moreso when you considered that the Volt Texture could be reformed if it was damaged. She and the other Pandoras took off at a run, a number of the Limiters from the class following close behind.

It didn't take long for the fourth-years to gather at the academy's airfield. Three transport helicopters awaited them at the airfield, their rotors spinning rapidly in preparation for takeoff. One of the teachers, a short-haired Korean woman named Captian Yu-Mi Kim, was giving orders to the gathered Pandoras.

"Alright, listen up! We don't know what we're facing. Normally this would be left to the Chevalier regular forces, but they're still tied up with the Shiori Tenshi mess so it's down to us. Limiters, stick close to your Pandoras and put that nonsense the SPARTAN taught you out of your mind. We're going to split up and search the facility in groups. I don't want anyone trying to play the hero. Is that clear?" The group all voiced their agreement then started for the helicopters. Alexis felt nervous going on this mission without Gabe by her side, but there wasn't anything she could do about it.

With the fourth-years loaded the helicopters lifted off. The three aircraft flew off in the same direction that a certain Pelican had previously, off towards a still-mysterious destination.

**Chevalier Research Facility, Pacific Ocean, 0500…**

Pelican F290 circled the oil platform slowly. The ship's floodlights lit up the outside of the platform, giving the SPARTAN and the ODST a good view of the station. There wasn't anything to see, however. There was no movement, no signs of battle, nothing. There were also no lights on. From what the Pelican's limited sensors could detect it appeared that the station was running on emergency power. The distress call was an automated message simply giving the co-ordinates of the platform and a request for immediate assistance. Interestingly enough the message identified the platform as a medical station.

"Looks like nobody's home SPARTAN," Williams said. "I'm gonna drop you off on that balcony up there. Radio when you're finished and I'll come pick you up, but I sure as hell ain't staying grounded. This fuckin' place gives me the creeps."

"How much fuel do you have?" Jeremy asked.

"Enough for two hours plus the return trip, but I sure hope you don't plan to be here that long. Long-range shows three Chevalier birds inbound and I don't feel like dancing." The Pelican came to a halt, the floor of the troop bay even with the railing of the balcony Williams had indicated. "Here's your stop, boys!"

Jeremy attached the FURY nuke to the small of his back then exited the craft. Fifteen hundred pounds of SPARTAN landed on the metal balcony. Gabe stepped off of the railing after him, his SMG up and panning. The Pelican lifted a bit higher into the air tore off into the night in order to hide from the approaching Chevalier aircraft. It would be some time before the helicopters arrived but Williams wasn't taking any chances.

The balcony the two soldiers stood on was built onto the side of the platform's communications center. The comm center consisted of a metal-walled room overlooking most of the platform with a large tower supporting the various antennas and dishes on top. The inside of the comm center was reminiscent of an air traffic control tower. The room was mainly open space with communications consoles running around the outside of the room. Most of the screens were dark but one still glowed brightly in the dim light. A message was displayed on this screen. "SOS PROTOCOL ACTIVE." There was timer counting down as well, one that displayed fifty-one minutes remaining. It seemed as if that timer showed how much longer the platform's emergency power supply would keep the signal active.

"My motion tracker is going wild," Jeremy said. "Looks like we're not alone here."

"Great," Gabe grumbled. "Well, shall we go say hello to our hosts?"

That's not a bad idea," the SPARTAN said. He switched to his mic so that only his AI could hear him. "Eris, can you get anything from the station's network?"

"The data servers are still online, they're running on backup power." Eris was quiet for a moment. "I'm in, but I'm running into all kinds of trouble. For some reason large sections of the station are unresponsive."

"Start downloading anything and everything you can get your hands on," Jeremy said. "Let me know if you find anything worth telling me about."

"Got it," the AI said.

The two men left the comm center and made their way onto the main platform. From there they entered one of the structures and began their sweep of the interior. The first thing either of them noticed was just how dark it was. Jeremy could see fine thanks to his enhanced eyesight but Gabe was forced to use his VISR's image enhancements. What he saw would have made his stomach turn were he not far too used to it.

Shelves lined the walls of the room, stacked with spare components to who-knows-what. But Gabe didn't care about the spare parts. There were easily twenty corpses in the room, a mixture of Pandoras, Limiters, and a few technicians. Blood was splattered across nearly every surface including the ceiling. Gabe's eyes went to the corpse of one of the Pandoras, who had had her head impaled on a ceiling fan and was now rotating in the center of the room. The two men advanced into the room slowly, forced to carefully navigate around and over the bodies in order to keep quiet.

"Looks like they fought a hell of a battle to keep something out," Eris commented to Jeremy.

"No," the SPARTAN said within his helmet so that only the AI could hear. "Look at the way the bodies fell and the marks on the wall where their weapons hit. They were trying to keep something in." He pointed to bootprints in the blood. "Looked like someone managed it, too."

Gabe crossed the storage room first. There was a hallway up ahead that dead-ended into a thick metal door. He could see the word "Security" written on the wall next to the door. He waited for the SPARTAN to join him then slowly slid the pneumatic door open by hand. There were blue emergency lights on in the next room, giving Gabe and Jeremy an easier view of the place. The security checkpoint consisted of a windowed booth, an X-ray scanner, and an automatic gun turret. The turret hung lifeless without power. Gabe could see three more bodies, two in the passageway to the next room and one in the security booth. The windows of the booth were shattered, allowing Gabe to climb over the wall and into the booth. Inside he examined the corpse that still sat at the computer console facing the passageway. The man had been decapitated where he sat. The various consoles that hadn't been damaged in the fighting displayed static or error messages. Gabe was able to retrieve a flash drive from the data server behind the corpse, however. It was then that he noticed a door marked "Armory" within the booth.

"Hey, SPARTAN," he whispered. "I think I found something."

Jeremy joined the ODST and they both examined the door. It too was pneumatic, but this one was locked tight. Luckily there was no power to the door or it's locks, so it wasn't too hard for the SPARTAN to wrench it open with a piece of a broken shelving unit from the previous room. As the door opened the two soldiers entered cautiously. At first neither of them registered what they were seeing. After a moment, however, Jeremy spoke up with an amused tone in his voice.

"Looks like the Chevalier have been busy," he said.

The armory contained a healthy supply of conventional weapons such as twentieth-century rifles, shotguns, and pistols. However, the back half of the room was full of a rainbow of colors: blues, reds, purples, silvers, and greens. The shelves were loaded with Covenant weaponry of every shape and size, from plasma pistols to carbines to fuel rod cannons. There were also a number of weapons Gabe didn't recognize, such as a large rifle with Needler crystals sticking out the top.

"How the hell did they get all this?" Gabe asked as he examined the Needle Rifle. "I thought the UNSC had the Shiori Tenshi area locked down tight?"

"So did I," Jeremy said. "Let's see what other secrets this place has."

The two made their way back out into the security checkpoint and towards the next door. Red lights pulsed gently around the frame and handle mechanism of this one, indicating that the power was still on. Gabe stepped up to the touchscreen panel next to the door and tried to open it. The panel flashed red and displayed the words "Access Denied."

"Locked," Gabe said. "Looks like they didn't want anyone going in or out."

The SPARTAN handed Gabe a small boxy device with a keypad and a screen as well as three colored lights: red, yellow, and green. The red light lit up as the ODST stuck the machine to the door and began pressing buttons. With a beep the yellow light came on. At this point the device, called a spoofer, began sending electrical currents through the door in various voltages and amperages. After a few seconds of this the device chimed repeatedly and the green light came on. Gabe removed the spoofer and pushed the now-disabled door open. He stowed the device in a pouch on his armor while Jeremy entered the room first, his rifle up and panning.

The next room was a decontamination chamber. Normally this room would function in a manner similar to an airlock, with only one door open at a time. However, the two soldiers found their path clear. At first Gabe thought it was a door malfunction. As they passed through he suddenly realized that the door hadn't malfunctioned at all: it had been ripped out of its tracks. The door itself, a two-inch thick slab of metal, was lying on the floor with a large hole in the middle, perhaps from some sort of blade. Gabe could see a pair of booted feet sticking out from underneath the door. Apparently someone had been underneath the thing when it had hit the floor. That person was now a human pancake.

The room they'd entered was quite dark, lit only by the occaisional still-powered piece of equipment or screen and random bursts of sparks from other systems. The entire place was in disarray. Eight more bodies were here, most of them researchers. The scent of blood and innards filled the air, making Gabe grateful that his helmet could be sealed for EVA operations.

Eris was quite busy within Jeremy's armor while this was going on, sorting through the data that she was downloading from the base's network. A lot of it was just junk: maintenance reports, supply requisition forms, security deployments, ect. However, something else had caught her attention. It wasn't much, not even a proper name. Just the words "weapons systems supplied by our new friends" within the director's log. Eris began searching through the incoming data, trying to make a connection. The AI had a hunch, but she didn't want to voice it unless she had proof.

That proof turned up just as the two men began to move further into the darkened laboratory. A file caught the AI's attention and she spoke to Jeremy, a note of surprise in her synthesized voice. "Jeremy, we've got a problem," she said.

"What is it?" the SPARTAN asked.

"Listen to this." She displayed the data file on the SPARTAN's heads-up display as she read the most pertinent portion. "'Expect delivery of the new energy weapons this evening. Two Phantoms will approach from the north. Keep the security recorders shut off. Their leader, Ship Master Rho 'Barutamee, will be coming personally and we don't want to anger him. Not after what his kin did to the Shiori area.'"

"That's not good," Jeremy said.

Before either of them could say anything more Jeremy spotted something on his motion tracker. There were still a lot of red contacts around them. Most were fairly distant but there was one that had just shown up very close by, right next to the only yellow dot on the scope. Jeremy brought his rifle up and turned towards the door Gabe had moved off to investigate. He found the ODST standing there, his weapon up and aiming at…

Gabe felt his heart nearly stop at the sight before him. There were two more of those armored Pandoras, both clearly dead. Standing over them was a nude woman with eight oversized stigmata glowing in her back, easily visible around her long white braid. The woman turned and gazed up at Gabe. She didn't seem to recognize him at all, but he recognized her.

"Alana," he said. "It's me, Gabe." He took a step towards her and lowered his SMG. "It's alright now."

There was no sign of the attack coming. One moment Alana was standing there looking at him and the next she was moving. A long blade formed around her right hand and struck at his chest. The ODST threw himself out of the way just in time. Even so he felt the blade scrape against his shoulder plate. He looked at the armor and spotted a deep gouge in the ceramic and titanium plating.

"Alana!" he yelled. "What are you doing?!"

Jeremy-049 opened fire on the nude woman with his rifle. He'd loaded the weapon with 7.62x51mm "Shredder" rounds. These bullets were designed to fragment on impact, tearing apart flesh like a tiny shotgun blast. They wouldn't do much to a shielded target like an Elite, but they were perfect for the prospect of gunning down a Pandora. The shots tore through Alana's flesh, knocking the girl back and spraying blood up at Gabe.

As she hit the ground Gabe stood up, his knuckles white on his SMG. He looked up at the SPARTAN to say something but never got the chance to. Just as quickly as she'd fallen Alana was back up, the wounds on her body healing almost instantly. She swung at Gabe, forcing the ODST to move back. Something caught his foot and the trooper tripped and fell backwards. He reached out with one hand to break his fall and fired his weapon one-handed with the other. Alana staggered as a hail of caseless 5x23mm rounds hit her chest in addition to the 7.62s that were still peppering her from the nearby SPARTAN. A cruel smile spread across her mouth and she lunged forward at Gabe, swinging at his weapon with her blade-arm. At the same time she aimed the palm of her other hand at Jeremy. Energy built up along her arm and pooled in her hand. Then, in a flash of brilliant white light, a beam of energy blasted forth from her palm and caught Jeremy square in the chest. The SPARTAN ducked behind a computer console, golden lightning crackling over his armor. His shields were completely drained in that one hit and he could see a large melted section on his chestplate. Alarms blared within his helmet and warning appeared on his HUD, telling him that his shields were down and that his suit's hydrostatic gel layer was getting way too hot and was in danger of boiling.

Gabe scrambled to his feet, tossing aside what was left of his SMG. Her blade had gone straight through the weapon, sending springs and pins flying and rendering the weapon useless. He still had his sidearm but he doubted that would do much. That left him with two options: a close-quarters fight or a long-range one. He decided on range.

"SPARTAN!" he yelled. "If I turn on you, gun me down like a dog!" And with those words he focused upon his stigmata in order to form his Volt Weapon. The crimson-accented assault rifle, which he'd taken to calling The Ventilator, appeared in his hands almost as soon as his mind processed the thought that he wanted it. At the same time he felt himself growing stronger as his stigmata altered his body. It wasn't as good as the optimization the Pandoras did to themselves, but it would be enough to give him the edge over most normal combatants.

"Come get some," he said as he brought his rifle to his shoulder.

**Meanwhile…**

Alexis was one of the first Pandoras to disembark as the helicopters touched down on the platforms landing pads. She was leading a group consisting of three more Pandoras and their Limiters. She knew the others by name only. The Pandoras she normally associated with, Lina, Charlotte, and Sophia, had all placed high in the last Carnival and were thus given command of other teams. Of course, they had yet to hold the Fall Carnival for this year. The day they were supposed to do it was the day the Ace of Spades arrived, so they'd simply stuck with their third-year ranks until things calmed down enough to allow for such an event. They were still waiting.

Even over the thump of the rotor blades Alexis could hear the sound of gunfire from within the facility. While the other teams began to spread out over the station Alexis led hers towards an open door she'd spotted: the same door a SPARTAN and ODST had entered just minutes previously. The four Pandoras moved quickly, Volt Weapons at the ready. The sound of gunfire and tearing metal grew louder, telling Alexis that they were on the right path.

As she entered the laboratory the first thing she saw was a SPARTAN. The SPARTAN had been forced to duck into cover for the second time, his shields flickering and crackling as he waited for them to recharge. She was surprised by the sight of the super-soldier, but her attention was quickly drawn by the fierce battle raging on the other side of the room.

An ODST wielding a familiar MA5B with red lights was locked in a vicious fight with a naked woman. Even in the dim light Alexis could see surgical scars on the woman's body. Whoever she was, she was giving the ODST a hell of a battle. Her right hand had turned into a blade that reminded Alexis of a Volt Weapon, while her left hand continually fired off beams of light similar to a Nova's particle beam.

As Alexis rushed in to help Gabe the woman took notice of her, slamming aside Gabriel and turning her hand on Alexis instead. Alexis froze as she recognized the nude woman's face. There was a Nova-like quality to her features, but Alexis still recognized the woman as her younger sister. She stopped in her tracks, eyes wide.

"Alana," she whispered.

Alana didn't seem to recognize Alexis as family. Once more energy pooled in her hand, building up to the particle beam attack she'd been using to keep Jeremy-049 suppressed. Alexis watched, dumbstruck, as her own sister prepared to slay her.

"Are you just gonna fucking die?!" Gabe yelled. He knew what was about to happen, having seen it happen to Jeremy twice now. He pulled himself to his feet and ran towards Alexis, dropping the Ventilator in the process. He knew it wasn't enough, however. He was too slow and that beam was just about to fire. 'I'll give anything,' he thought desperately. 'Just let me make it in time!'

_Your wish is granted._

Alexis was about to close her eyes, not wanting to accept to reality of her own sister turning into… whatever this was. Before she could, however, a flash of motion made her throw her eyes wide open once more. Gabe vanished from the corner he'd landed in when Alana had hit him and reappeared almost instantly in between the two sisters. The ODST spread his arms wide while standing with his back to Alana just as she let her beam attack fly. Alexis opened her mouth to scream but never let the sound out. Her terror turned to awe in an instant as some sort of dome suddenly appeared around Gabe, blocking the attack. The 'dome' was made of hexagonal panels that looked as If they were made of some sort of red-tinted glass. A faint reddish glow came from the barrier, brightening as the beam attack hit. Once the beam ended the dome vanished and Gabe straightened up, reforming his Volt Weapon and turning towards Alana.

"_Your ass is mine, bitch!" _Gabe spoke the words, but there was something else in his voice. It was as if a second voice was speaking as well. The sound gave all four Pandoras in the room the chills. Even Jeremy, the battle-hardened SPARTAN-II, felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up straight at the sound.

Gabe vanished once more in a high-speed maneuver, this one an attack directed against Alana. As if from thin air four copies of the Corporal appeared, each one raising the weapon and firing. The energy bursts from their weapons tore into Alana, splattering fresh blood across the already-drying remains of the battle that took place before Gabe and Jeremy had arrived. Alexis screamed at Gabe to stop but he didn't listen. Or rather, he couldn't hear her over the feeling of his own bloodlust. The desire to kill and destroy had fully engulfed him by this point, and every bit of it was directed at Alana.

Alana began to step up her own game. Her form vanished just as Gabe's had and soon the two were engaged in a high-speed battle that raged from one end of the lab to the other. Only Jeremy could follow the two thanks to his augmented nervous system and insane training. Gabe and Alana chased each other around the room, lashing out with vicious blows and ranged attacks alike. Craters large and small appeared in the floor, walls, ceiling, and equipment in the room as their stray attacks hit. Both of them were exhibiting a power beyond even the most gifted Pandoras, rivaling even the Legendary Pandoras. However, one of the two had a major advantage over the other. That advantage came into play at the very end of the fight.

Alexis had just ordered the other Pandoras in her unit to retreat when the fighting came to a sudden and brutal end. Alana appeared directly in front of Alexis, her right arm torn off at the elbow. There was a look of shock on the girl's face and for a moment she simply stood there, staring. Alexis took a step towards her sister just as Alana's blade suddenly forced its way through the nude female's chest. Blood ran down her stomach from the wound and the girl fell backwards, landing on her back. Gabe stood behind her, breathing hard behind his VISR.

Alexis fell to her knees at her sister's side, taking the girl's remaining hand and holding it tightly in both of hers. "Hold on Alana," she said franticly. "We're going to get you help! Just hold on!" Even as she said these words she felt energy building up in her sister's hand once more as the girl prepared one last attack.

Blood sprayed up over Alexis as Gabe let loose with his Volt Weapon. He held the trigger down and emptied a fully-automatic stream of weapons fire into Alana's chest, head, and abdomen. Alexis scrambled back, horrified, then rushed Gabe and shoved him away. The ODST staggered and almost brought his weapon up to fire on Alexis. At that point, however, Gabe retook control from the bloodthirst within and surveyed the situation. Alana was dead and Alexis was on all fours over her sister, sobbing hard.

"Sir," Gabe said quietly to Jeremy-049, who had just stood up and hooked his own rifle to the magnetic pads on his armor. "Is this a good place to deliver the package?"

"Yes. Go call our ride. I'll finish up here." Jeremy switched his own helmet comm to the Chevalier frequencies and spoke to the Pandora forces on the platform. "Attention all Chevalier units, this is sierra oh-four-niner. Pull out of this area immediately if you don't want to die. You have three minutes." And with that he cut his comm and retrieved the oblong device from his back. The SPARTAN set the FURY weapon on a nearby console and typed in a few commands.

Two of Alexis's Pandora subordinates took their hysterical leader by her arms and began half-leading, half-dragging her out of the room just as their own radios began receiving orders from the helicopter pilots to fall back.

Gabe, meanwhile, had left the room as soon as Jeremy had told him to. He'd called for extraction once he was outside. He could hear the sound of an approaching Pelican, and so he decided to take a breather. The trooper pulled his helmet from his head and laid it on the metal floor of the platform. The sea air felt good against his skin, a refreshing change after the heat that had begun to fill his helmet during the fight. He could see the sky brightening on the horizon. The sun would be up in just a couple minutes.

As Alexis and her comrades exited the building she straightened up, her eyes quickly locating Gabe. Without a word the Pandora broke free of her companions and walked straight up to Gabe… and punched him in the face.

"Why, Gabriel?" she asked him as she drew back her first and let fly again. "Why does death follow your people wherever they go?!" Gabe did nothing to defend himself, nor did he respond. This infuriated Alexis further and she let loose a third punch. "Answer me, goddamn you! Why'd you kill her? Why did my sister have to die?!" At that point she collapsed against him, beating weakly at his chestplate.

The ODST's face was utterly devoid of any expression as he looked down at his partner. His eyes went up to one of her subordinates after a second or two. "Get her on the transport out of here," he said emotionlessly. The trooper turned and walked away, picking up his helmet and slipping it on once more as he did. Alexis fell to her knees once again as he left.

"Good God," one of the Limiters said as his Pandora partner helped Alexis back to her feet. "Is that guy even human?"

"No way in hell that guy's human," his Pandora said as she walked past with Alexis. "Fucking monster is more like it."

Jeremy-049 appeared from within the facility at that moment. His faceplate tracked the shape of Pelican F290 as it flew over and turned around, lowering itself to the railing nearest them. Jeremy and Gabe both climbed over the railing and into the 'blood tray' of the dropship. The craft rose into the air once more, soon to be accompanied by the three Chevalier helicopters.

The Pelican flew slower than the helicopters, hanging back to make sure the other aircraft made it out of the area. Once they were clear the Pelican accelerated after them, back towards home. As they flew away the laboratory platform suddenly exploded into a brilliant fireball. It was as if a second sun was rising over the water to complement the one rising on the horizion.

"Damn," Gabe whispered. He looked up at Jeremy to ask something of the SPARTAN, only to find himself staring down the barrel of the super-soldier's weapon. "What the fuck?" he asked, raising his hands.

"Don't… move…" the SPARTAN said. He stood up, gun still trained on Gabe. For a moment the two men stared at each other from behind their visors. Then, in a lightning-flash of motion, Jeremy swung his rifle and fired a burst of bullets towards the cockpit of the Pelican.

Blood splattered from midair where he'd fired and something collapsed to the floor, letting out a moan of pain. Gabe materialized The Ventilator, realizing that there was an intruder on the dropship and that the SPARTAN had detected it. The two men approached the spot just as the cockpit door opened and Williams appeared holding her shotgun. All three of them could see something on the floor. It was difficult to see, but it seemed to be a human shape under what seemed like Covenant light-bending technology known as active camouflage. However, had this been active camo Jeremy's motion tracker would have caught her, and this clearly wasn't the case. This was something else, something new.

"Why don't you save me a few bullets and just show yourself?" the SPARTAN growled.

After a moment the intruder obliged the SPARTAN. The shape of a woman in some sort of black bodysuit with strange glowing bands and a full-face helmet appeared sprawled out on the floor before them, bleeding from bulletholes in both knees. Gabe quickly set about securing her wrists and ankles with zip-ties while the SPARTAN tended to her wounds with a can of bio-foam.

"Looks like we're going to have a new roommate on the Ace," Jeremy said with a slight hint of malice in his voice.

**West Genetics Academy, outside the Cafeteria, 2100…**

Gabe spent most of the day on the Ace of Spades. He'd been subjected to a thorough debriefing by Admiral Hartman and the other SPARTAN-IIs, then he'd helped interrogate their new prisoner. So far she hadn't spoken once, although they hadn't let the SPARTANs interrogate her. Gabe would've almost felt bad for the woman if Hartman ordered one of the super-soldiers to take over the questioning.

Now, the ODST finally arrived at the West Genetics Cafeteria. He was starving, having skipped lunch on the Ace in order to try and get his duties aboard the ship finished quicker. Even so he hadn't gotten back to the academy until around nine in the evening. He was eager for food, but something else showed up to block his path.

As he crossed the courtyard to the cafeteria he found Alexis waiting for him. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she was leaning up against the wall next to the door. Her face no longer showed any signs that she'd been crying. Now all that was there was anger.

"Alexis," he said, approaching her. "Walk with me. I'd like to be able to talk without the world listening in."

Alexis snorted but did as she was asked. The two walked around the academy, not speaking for several minutes. Finally it was Alexis that broke the silence.

"So what happened Gabriel?" she asked.

"Most of it's classified," Gabe said. "What I can tell you is that your sister attacked us first. I tried to make contact but she…"

"What a load of horse shit," Alexis spat.

"What?"

"'Classified?' Who do you think you're talking to?" Alexis stopped walking, her cheeks flushing in her anger as she yelled at her partner. "Gabriel, it's me! You're supposed to trust in me, and yet you don't even have the decency to tell me why it was so important that my sister die?!"

"I do trust you," Gabe said calmly. "But I'm under orders not to discuss..."

"So, what? You're just going to keep me out of this because your officers told you to?!"

"Yes." Gabe felt himself getting slightly angry. "I am a soldier of the United Nations Space Command Defense Forces. If I go against my orders I can be charged with treason and face a damn firing squad, not to mention putting all of my comrades and everyone and everything we fight to protect at risk!"

"But what about me?" Alexis asked. "I've given you my heart and my body, Gabriel! I even allowed you to live with me because I love you! Doesn't that mean anything in your twisted little rhetoric?"

"If you actually loved me, you wouldn't keep asking me to put aside EVERYTHING I've spent the last three years putting my life on the line for." The Helljumper's anger finally reached the breaking point and his voice rose accordingly. "How can you ask me to choose between my duty and you?"

"Because I have a right to know!" Alexis was at a full shout now. "You have no right to keep me in the dark when it was my sister you slaughtered! And if you can't even trust me this much, then why the hell are we even partners?!"

The stress of the last few days finally reached the critical point and something snapped within Gabe. "Fine then," he said, turning and walking off. "I'm done. If you want a perfect little bitch to be your partner, then you go ahead and find one. I'm out of here."

Alexis's anger turned to shock and horror in an instant. "No, that's not what I…" Gabe didn't pay her any attention as she tried to talk to him, angering her once again. "Fine! Leave!" she screamed after him. "I hope you die in that fucking war you love so much!" The Pandora turned and ran, tears flowing like a river once more. She ran all the way back to the dorms and to her room, where she locked the door and curled up on her bed. She hadn't meant to say those words, nor had she ever wanted Gabriel to leave her. But now she had and there was no going back, and the only thing she could do was cry. And so she did. She cried for her sister, who had died far too young. She cried for the crew of the Ace, who had given so much for this world that wasn't even their and still been forced to undertake missions like that for some unknown reason. And she cried for herself, her own lose off Gabriel. At some point she found the battleworn old ODST helmet she'd kept. She held the armored headgear to her chest, continuing to cry in that position long into the night.

**Meanwhile…**

Gabe made his way to the northern gates of the Academy. Two Pandoras and their Limiters guarded the gates. As he passed one of them moved to stop him.

"The campus is closed, sir," she said. "You'll have to…." She was suddenly cut off by the barrel of Gabe's Volt Weapon. He'd materialized the weapon pointing at her face, but he was close enough to her that when he had the barrel formed inside her mouth. None of the four Chevalier guards moved, surprised by the sudden threat.

"Just try and fuckin' stop me," Gabe snarled. The Pandora's eyes went wide and she took a step back, rejoining her comrade. "Listen, you're a pretty girl. Swing by my room later and I'll give you something else round and hard to put in your mouth." And with that the ODST continued on his way, leaving the guard too shocked to follow him.

The trooper made his way into the city in only a few minutes. He found a shady-looking bar near the outskirts of town and entered the place. There were quite a few people in the establishment, most of them fairly tough-looking outlaw types. Or at least wannabe-outlaw types. The bartender looked up at him as he sat down at the bar.

"Got an ID, kid?" the barkeep asked.

"I'm a fucking ODST," Gabe growled. "Do you really think the UNSC is going to let someone too young to drink drop into a firefight from fucking SPACE?"

The bartender took a step back, not wanting to anger the clearly unstable trooper further. He poured the soldier a drink then moved off down the bar, careful to keep an eye on the obviously armed Helljumper.

Four or five drinks later, Gabe was feeling a lot better. He'd forgotten his anger at Alexis and the Chevalier and was now just enjoying the drinks and the music. However, that would change very soon.

A large man sat down beside Gabe while four more of his buddies surrounded the two. "Hey, Helljumper," the large man said. "I hear you guys are some sort of special-ops types. But you don't look too tough."

"Whatever," Gabe said impatiently. "Listen, why not take yourself and your stench somewhere else and let me drink in peace?" The other four men made a soft 'oooh'ing sound.

"I don't fuckin' like your attitude, punk!" the large man said. "You fuckin' UNSC dogs think you're so badass, don't you? Why don't you fuckin' prove it?!"

Gabe glanced at the man then signaled the bartender. "You know pal, I think we got off on the wrong foot. Lemme buy you a drink." He looked back to the bartender. "Two beers for me and my new buddy here."

The bartender set two cold bottles on the bar then backed up again, as if predicting what Gabe as about to do. While the large man cautiously began to open his beer Gabe picked up his own bottle by the neck. He swung the bottle at the large man's head, shattering the glass container.

The fight continued for half an hour before the police finally showed up. Gabe, both punch-drunk and booze-drunk, was handcuffed and taken to the police station where he was booked and told he would have to spend the night in custody.

And so the two partners, Gabe and Alexis, spent a rough night apart. One of them cried herself to sleep over the helmet of the man she loved while the other tried to drown his sorrows in a bottle and ended up spending the night in the drunk tank.

But all around them, the world moved on. Already wheels were beginning to turn, and the next few days would prove to be most eventful.


	19. Chapter 19

_(To those of you who frequently ask when I'm going to update: Don't ask. I may update a day after posting a chapter, or I may update a year later. Asking me to update won't make it happen any faster. And to my loyal anon, this message was the first thing I wrote for this chapter =P And the ARMA gameplay was epic. I'd love to be able to get my grimy mitts on something like that and immerse myself in ODST combat for a few days before busting out some truly glorious chapters. However, my interwebz couldn't handle all that badass.)_

**West Genetics Academy, Staff Block D…**

Amelia Evan found herself woken up rather early by an incessant beeping from her bedside table. One of the UNSC Marines had done the old "I think you dropped this" trick in order to pass her a UNSC radio uplink set to a private channel the day after she'd made her revelations to Corporal Kinkaid. Now that uplink was beeping for her attention.

Still sleepy, the E-Pandora picked up the boxy device and held it to her ear. "This is Jester," she said. The admiral of the UNSC ship had told her to use that code name whenever using the radio uplink just in case someone managed to listen in.

"Jester, this is Overlook. We've got a problem on our hands." The voice that came from the device's speaker was none other than that of Admiral Hartman herself. "Pointman has been incarcerated. We need you to retrieve him."

Amelia sat up, suddenly wide awake thanks to the news that Gabe was in trouble. She'd become somewhat fond of her sparring partner/co-conspirator. "Who took him?" she asked.

"The local police. Apparently he got drunk and started a barfight." The admiral sounded less than pleased with her soldier. "The academy is under lockdown again after what happened yesterday, but I believe they'll let you through. I'd appreciate it if you could retrieve our mutual friend. And I might be inclined to owe you a favor after this as well."

"I'll get it done," Amelia said. "Jester out."

With the comm cut Amelia swung herself out of bed and began dressing quickly. She pulled on a pair of black trousers and a matching blazer over a white button-down shirt, topped off with a pair of black leather boots with thick heels. There wasn't much she could do with her hair in the time she had but that was alright. The car she'd been using was a convertible anyway and her hair would be all over the place by the time she made it to town. With one last glance in the mirror the E-Pandora left her room and made her way to the motor pool to retrieve her car.

**Shiori Tenshi District, Police Precinct 7…**

Officer William Grant walked past the holding cell on his way to his desk, a fresh cup of coffee in his hand. It was yet another graveyard shift in the holding cells, booking any locals that happened to get arrested. Several of the cells were occupied, some by multiple suspects. One cell, however, held only one person. It was this cell that had the officer feeling a tad bit nervous.

Near the start of his shift an ODST had been brought in with a black eye, a busted lip, and severely bruised knuckles. The trooper had subjected quietly while they'd searched and disarmed him, and until now he'd sat on the bench in his cell with a foul look on his face. He'd spent the entire night with his elbows resting on his knees, hands crossed in front of him, glaring at the floor of his cell. Despite his silence, or maybe even because of it, the guy made Officer Grant very nervous.

As Grant walked by the occupant of this cell finally stood, making his way to the door. Officer Grant felt himself tensing, having heard wild rumors of the ruthless nature of UNSC soldiers. However, the ODST simply spoke in a quiet, subdued voice.

"Think I could get a cup of that?" Gabe asked, pointing at the officer's coffee cup.

Officer Grant hesitated then nodded, setting his cup down on his desk then returning to the break room to get a second. He came back a minute later and handed the paper cup through the bars to Gabe, who thanked the officer then took a sip of the hot, bitter drink.

"Finally sobered up, have we?" the officer asked.

"Mostly," Gabe said. "My head feels like someone set off a frag inside my skull though."

"Just how much did you have to drink?" Officer Grant pulled his chair over so he could sit outside Gabe's cell. Despite his faction's reputation the ODST was behaving himself quite well, and Grant was eager for a decent conversation partner. Most of the people he talked to back here were petty criminals, and most of them were less than pleased to be locked away and therefore took out their aggression on the officers that tended to the station.

"Don't remember," Gabe said. "I think I was just starting to feel halfway decent when that guy came over and decided to start trouble with me."

"Just what was a special-operations soldier doing getting drunk and brawling in bars?"

Gabe laughed at the officer's question. "Not really sure myself, officer." He took another drink of his coffee before continuing. "Guess it just wasn't my night. Shit went sideways on an op, I ended up having a blowout with someone important to me, and to top it all off I'm fed up with the politics in this place." He laughed again. "I guess the worst part is that the important person I mentioned probably hates my guts right now, and she has every reason to."

Officer Grant smiled as he noticed the word 'she.' "This girl, how close are you two?" he asked.

Gabe didn't answer at first. "We're close," he said finally. "She's a Pandora and my partner. I'd take a bullet for her. She's saved my life just as many times as I've saved hers."

"So you love her?" Grant asked.

Gabe went quite once again, caught off-guard by the question. Did he love Alexis? Certainly he cared for her… but her words from last night came back to him.

_I hope you die in that war you love so much._

"I don't know," Gabe said. "But I know for a fact she doesn't love me."

"And that's probably a good thing," a woman's voice said from the door. Officer Grant turned to see an attractive redhead standing at the door of the holding area, leaning against the doorframe. Her eyes went to the cell that contained the ODST. "I'm Amelia Evans," she said to the officer. "I'm here to pick up Kinkaid."

"I'm sorry ma'am," Officer Grant said. "Corporal Kinkaid is in on charges of public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, assault, resisting arrest, and assaulting an officer. He's going to wait here until…"

"He's been pardoned," Amelia said. She handed the officer an envelope that contained a letter of pardon from both Doctor Aoi and Sister Margaret. Amelia had woken both of them and explained the situation then asked for their assistance. Both had been very displeased to have been woken up this early, but both had consented to help the ODST. Officer Grant read over the two letters, eyes widening.

"Official pardons," the officer whispered. "Man, just what is this guy wrapped up in?" He turned and punched in the combination for Gabe's cell. "You're free, Kinkaid. We're not allowed to punish you, but do me a favor and don't show up in my drunk tank again."

Gabe exited his cell then shook the officer's hand. "Thanks, man. I'll try not to get into any more trouble with the law." He then followed Amelia out of the room and then to outprocessing. Grant shook his head and went back towards his desk.

"Hey, what about us?" one of the large men that had been booked with Gabe yelled from his cell. The man's face was heavily bruised and there were a few cuts on his forehead from where Gabe had smashed the beer bottle over his head. The other guys from the fight didn't look much better either. "Why does he get out and we don't?"

"I wouldn't worry about that if I were you," Grant said, sitting down at his desk. "I'd worry more about how your alligator mouths got your canary asses in trouble. That one guy beat the hell out of five big belugas like you, and if you ask me you all deserved it." This shut the man up, allowing Officer Grant to file the paperwork for Gabe's release.

**Later…**

Amelia took the freeway towards the ocean rather than driving towards the Academy. Her sleek red convertible was moving well over the speed limit, but Gabe didn't comment. He wasn't commenting on much of anything. Instead he was staring at his helmet, which he held in his hands.

"So let me get this straight," Amelia finally said as she weaved around the slower-moving traffic that consisted of mainly military transports and early-morning commuters. "You and your little girlfriend had a spat and broke up so you decided to go get drunk and beat up a few losers?"

"Don't start, Evans," Gabe grumbled.

"I'm not starting," she said defensively. "I'm just asking. I don't blame you for kicking their asses and I sure as hell don't blame you for what happened with Alexis. I know you've got things you can't talk about, and she should be able to understand that."

"How did you even know about us?" he asked.

"Everyone's talking about it," Amelia said as she pulled off of the freeway and into the industrial sector. It was very near the area Gabe had landed in on his first night in this universe. "The Black Death and the White Reaper had a shouting match after some UNSC operation."

"The Black Death and the White Reaper?" Gabe asked, having never heard those two names before.

"Pandoras give each other nicknames. Alexis is the White Reaper. Since you're technically a Pandora and you wear that black armor, people have taken to calling you the Black Death." Amelia laughed at the idea. "It's kind of stupid, but in some juvenile romanticist way it makes sense: the black and white coming together to form the perfect pair."

Black Death… it was a good fit. After all, Death seemed to follow wherever he went. "So what about you?" he asked in order to change the subject.

"I don't have one," Amelia said off-handedly. "I never went through any Genetics training, so I'm not technically a Pandora. I'm just a relic from a failed project. But enough about that." She glanced towards him then back to the road. "Why don't you tell me what happened with your partner? I _am_ a woman, you know. I might be able to give you a bit of insight."

Gabe was quiet for a bit longer. He didn't particularly want to involve Amelia, but her offer sounded good to him. After all, he was still trying to figure it out himself. "I can't tell you everything," he finally said. "But to put it simply, I was sent on a mission from my own superiors. Things went bad, way bad. Alexis's sister got involved and wound up dead… by my hand. I wanted to explain it all to Alexis but I couldn't without breaching UNSC security, and our position is getting a bit rocky here as it is."

"So she didn't take it that well," Amelia said. "Well, that's not surprising. Girls like Alexis have grown up seeing only one point of view and can rarely see other sides of the equation, you know?" Gabe grunted, not commenting either way on this although it certainly sounded correct to him. "Look at it this way, Gabe. It's better for both of you that you're split up. She won't get hurt and you won't have to choose between your partner and your duty as a soldier. Besides," She pulled up to a small diner called Smokey's, an establishment that looked as dirty and dingy as the warehouses and factories around it. "There are plenty of Pandoras that would be far better suited to you if you wanted to partner with them instead."

"Like who?" Gabe asked.

"Oh, they're around," Amelia said mysteriously. "For now though, I want breakfast. Come on, my treat." She killed the engine and got out, twirling the keys on her finger. "The place looks shady but the food is amazing."

"Can't be any worse than what the Corps feeds us," Gabe said, getting out of the car as well.

**West Genetics Academy, 0600…**

An hour and a half after Gabe had been released, Alexis finally made her appearance from her room. The few Pandoras that were in the hallways fell silent as she passed. The tale of the fight she'd had with Gabriel Kinkaid had spread through the academy like wildfire. Many of them were concerned but none were willing to speak, lest either Alexis herself lash out or the ODST they'd taken to calling the Black Death come for them.

Alexis didn't want to face her friends at breakfast. She wasn't ready to answer questions about what had happened with Gabriel. She was still coming to grips with the fact that her dear twin was gone from this world forever. Add that to the fact that she'd driven her partner away with her anger and it was a wonder that she didn't curl up in her room the way she had when James had died.

It was true, she'd considered it. She wanted to hide herself away again, and under other circumstances she would have. But Gabriel had made an impression upon her in their time together. She wouldn't go back to being weak like that, no matter how much she wanted to. It wouldn't do anyone any good and she still had a duty as a Pandora. Plus, if she hid she would never have a chance to win Gabriel back.

But now the question was whether or not he would want her back. She had been selfish and ignorant. Of course she wanted to know why her sister had to die, but she'd lashed out at Gabriel and blamed him entirely for the situation. On top of that she'd said something horrible to him, possibly the worst thing she could have possibly said to any of the UNSC soldiers trapped in this world.

Her words came back to her as she sat down on the grass outside one of the class buildings, watching the sun rising over the wall of the academy. She couldn't believe the words that had come out of her mouth. _I hope you die._ The thought of Gabe lying dead in some battlefield somewhere made her stomach turn. She'd seen combat footage from the UNSC, and she'd seen the bodies strewn about in the wake of the Covenant attack against Shiori Tenshi.

Alexis didn't notice the figure that had stepped up near her, but that figure had certainly noticed her. A blonde Limiter with an English accent and roughly-cut hair sat down beside her with a concerned look on his face. "Are you alright, Miss?" he asked.

Alexis turned towards him, intending to ask him to leave. His face, however, made those words die in her throat. He had a number of half-healed bruises on his otherwise handsome face. Alexis nodded and looked away, staring out over the grounds. "I'm fine," she said quietly. "Thank you for asking, mister…?"

"el Bridgette," the Limiter said. "But just call me Luis."

That name caught Alexis's attention very quickly, for two reasons. First off, she knew that the el Bridgette family was very wealthy and very powerful within the Chevalier. And secondly, she knew of another person with that name. "Do you know a girl named Satellizer?" she asked.

"She's my older sister," Luis said. "I heard she fought with you and the Black Death when those monsters attacked us."

"Almost got us killed, too," Alexis grumbled. "Managed to get Gabriel captured."

"So I heard. She was quite upset over it." Luis smiled fondly. "She's a good girl and a dedicated Pandora, but she's got a lot to learn when it comes to common sense." He looked back at Alexis with that concerned look returning to his face. "So what's wrong, Miss White Reaper?" he asked. "Did you and the Man in Black have a fight?"

"As if you didn't already know," Alexis snarled. "Yes we fought."

"Actually, I didn't know. I don't keep up on the local goings-on." Luis began playing with a twig. "So what happened?"

Alexis felt guilty at that point, having just snapped at someone who hadn't deserved it. "Sorry," she said. "As for me and Gabriel… well, I was called off on that rescue mission yesterday. When we got to our destination I found Gabriel and a SPARTAN fighting my sister Alana of all people."

"Your sister is a Pandora?" Luis asked.

"No, she wasn't. But somehow she was using abilities far beyond most Pandoras. The SPARTAN and Gabriel were getting their butts kicked. I tried to help but Alana turned on me too, then before I knew what was happening Gabriel killed her while she was focused on me." She felt herself breaking at the thought but held it together.

"That's cold blooded," Luis said. "Although, that's not too uncommon for the UNSC forces. Especially for the ODST soldiers. I've been hearing a lot of terrifying things about them."

"What do you mean?" Alexis felt like she didn't want to know, but she couldn't resist.

"Well, I know of a few people that have been beaten senseless by ODSTs. Apparently the UNSC soldiers are all very prone to post-traumatic stress disorders and that makes them wild and unpredictable. And on top of that, they've all been drowning in blood for who knows how long." He shook his head. "It's so sad, the things those heroic men and women went through. Now that they're out of it they don't know how to live without the killing and the hate. They have to direct their rage somewhere else and it usually ends badly for anyone who gets involved with them."

Something wasn't sitting right with Alexis about this statement. Certainly the UNSC forces had been through hell and back, but there was no way they were the bloodthirsty monsters that Luis was painting them as. "So, those bruises," she said. "Are they the work of UNSC soldiers?"

"Yes," Luis said. "I was attacked by a squad of ODSTs. One of their men was coveting my partner and so they intimidated her into leaving me. When she tried to refuse they beat me senseless and told her they would kill me if she didn't agree to stay away from me."

"That's horrible," Alexis said, although she didn't believe this story. She knew a number of the Ace's crew and none of them would do something so horrifically inhuman. They were soldiers fighting for humanity, not mindless beasts.

"Maybe you should hear the ODST's side of the story," a familiar voice said from behind them…

**Minutes Previous…**

After having breakfast, Gabe and Amelia had returned to the West Genetics academy to meet with Doctor Aoi and Sister Margaret about his crimes. Aoi seemed amused by his actions, while Sister Margaret had lectured Gabe on 'proper conduct as a representative of West Genetics.' Gabe knew he'd screwed up, but that didn't make him any happier to get a lecture so early in the morning. Amelia had returned to her bedroom in order to catch up on her sleep, since they weren't supposed to train until evening.

Feeling alone, Gabe decided to go check the progress on the repairs to his dorm room. As he walked towards the boy's dorms he passed one of the class buildings. There he caught a familiar voice coming from nearby. He found Alexis and a blond Limiter sitting on the grass, talking about him and the other UNSC soldiers… and Gabe wasn't pleased to hear what the blond had to say. He remembered what the other ODSTs had told him about the guy that Holly Rose had recently escaped from… was this him?

The Limiter's words about being attacked by ODSTs confirmed his suspicious. Gabe snuck up behind the two, a surprising feat given the heavy ODST armor he wore. He listened for a moment longer then spoke.

"Maybe you should hear the ODST's side of the story," he said. Alexis and Luis both looked up at him, surprised. Alexis started to say something, but before she could Luis cut her off.

"You bastard!" the Limiter shouted. "How dare you show your face to her after what you did?"

Gabe responded with a straight punch to the guy's face. Luis went down from the force of the blow, while Gabe advanced upon him slowly. "So tell me, Luis el Bridgette. Did you tell Alexis here about what you did to that sister of yours? About how you molested her, tortured her, and brainwashed her all because she was afraid to fight back for fear that she and her mother would be thrown out? Did you tell her how you raped your partner, Holly Rose, and tried to abuse her the way you did Satellizer? Or how about the night you got your ass kicked, when you attacked a wounded ODST just because he'd tried to stop you from beating on Miss Rose? You damn near killed Corporal Carson. It was only because my squadmates came back and thoroughly humiliated your punk ass that he didn't suffer even worse injuries than he already had."

Luis's eyes went wide. He'd been found out and there was no way to talk his way out of this. "I'm going to kill you," he said, glaring at Gabe. "Do you understand that, ODST scum? I'm going to kill you right here, right now, and then I'm going to make sure your little friends are locked in a maximum-security prison for the rest of their worthless…"

At that point Gabe's fist found the Limiter's face once more. Luis tried to fight but in a matter of seconds Gabe had him down on the ground. The stronger ODST straddled Luis and pummeled him with a barrage of vicious blows to the face. He gripped the other male's shirt with one hand while his other first crashed into Luis's face over and over again. It took a minute or two for Gabe to finally hear Alexis yelling for him to stop. Once he processed her words he stood up and began to walk away.

"I…I'll kill you…" Luis gasped. Gabe turned around and stomped on his stomach, silencing the Limiter once more.

It's pretty fucking sad," Gabe said as he walked away. "The only way I can apologize is with violence. Guess you were right about me."

"Gabriel, wait!" Alexis tried to stop Gabe but the ODST took off running. She could have caught him, but the message he was sending by running was clear. He didn't want to face her. The though made her heart break even more, but she wouldn't give up yet. She made her way towards the boy's dorms, hoping to cut him off there. However, someone else caught her before she could.

Just as she rounded the final corner to the boy's dorms, a brown-haired figure stepped out in front of her.

"Char!" she said in surprise, sidestepping her friend to keep from running into her. "What are you.."

Charlotte grabbed Alexis by the wrist and dragged her off towards the cafeteria. "You're not avoiding me anymore," she said.

**UNSC Ace of Spades, Bridge, 0700…**

Admiral Lucia Hartman stepped into the command room of her mighty warship, and instantly every head turned. Instead of her usual regulation bun, the Admiral's graying black hair was hanging loose around her shoulders. Even though she was nearly fifty-seven, she was still a very beautiful woman and letting her hair down had only emphasized that fact. She wore a pistol on her hip, a replica of a centuries-old revolver called a Peacemaker that fired the same magnum rounds as the modern M6 series handguns and had the same electronic targeting suite as the aforementioned pistols. Unbeknownst to her crew, this was the same pistol she'd carried during her days with the Freedom and Liberation Party terrorist organization.

As she entered the bridge she noticed a number of her crew staring at her in surprise. "Is there something about me that is keeping you from your duties?" she snapped. The crewmembers immediately went back to their consoles, working even faster than they had before. No one was sure just what demon had possessed their commanding officer, but no one wanted to cross her at this point.

"Lodestone, how close are you to being finished with the Chevalier data?" she asked as she sat down in the ship's command chair.

"I've prepared everything for your review," the AI said.

"Good. And how's SPARTAN-049 doing with our prisoner?"

"Not as good, I'm afraid," the AI said.

**Meanwhile, down in the brig…**

Jeremy-049 stepped out of the holding cell, rubbing his temples. He'd been at it all night with that woman but had had no luck. She hadn't even given them her name. He had to give her credit, she was a tough customer. He stepped into the viewing room next to the holding cell and found Sergeant Davis standing there, watching the woman through the one-way glass.

"Sierra-oh-four-niner to bridge," Jeremy said over the ship's intercom.

"Go ahead SPARTAN," Hartman's voice said.

"Ma'am, the prisoner is entirely unresponsive. I suggest we implement some more drastic interrogation techniques."

"You mean torture?" Davis asked. "Admiral, that's not cool!"

"Do you have a better idea?" Hartman asked over the intercom.

"Let me try talking to her," Davis said. Jeremy-049 shook his head but the ODST persisted. "I might be able to get more out of her than the wind-up toy here could."

"You've got half an hour," Hartman said. "After that, she's all yours SPARTAN."

Davis grunted and turned away from the console. He was disgusted by the thought of his commanding officer consenting to something as disgusting as torturing a human being. An alien? Sure. But a human being was different.

"What do you plan to do?" Jeremy-049 asked.

"I'm just gonna wing it," Davis said as he left the room. He took a breath then entered the holding cell where the captured woman sat. As he entered the woman's green eyes locked on him. It was as if she was a predator eyeing up a particularly appetizing prey. He grunted and sat down at the table in the center of the room, across from the woman. "So, you're our guest?" he said. "You sure are a pretty thing…" The woman raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Not that she needed to. "Don't worry," Davis said. "I'm not dumb enough to worm information out of you by hitting on you."

"So the armored guy was the bad cop," the woman said emotionlessly. "Does that make you the good cop?"

"Nope," Davis said. "I'm just a guy presenting you with information and options." The woman watched him with a slight degree of interest but didn't speak again, so the ODST continued. "So, according to the data we got from your base, you people are working with the Covenant. Can't say as I blame you. Their tech is pretty damn amazing. But I wonder if you really understand what kind of devil your superiors made a deal with."

The woman didn't say anything, so Davis continued to speak. "Lodestone," he said, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his armor. "You listenin', boy?"

"I am," the AI said over the room's PA. "And I would like to remind you that smoking is prohibited while onboard the ship."

"Oh like I give a shit." Davis lit a cigarette with a silver lighter from his pocket then set both the lighter and the smokes on the table. "Do me a favor. Pull up our combat logs from Reach."

"That data is classified," Lodestone objected. "I cannot allow the prisoner…"

"Just put Rack-Em's helmet cam on the screen in here. I'll authorize it."

"Very well," Lodestone said. "Which video would you like to see?"

"August 29th. 1300 hours. Start a minute before he fired the first shot." Davis leaned back as the two-way glass began to display an image. It wasn't a pretty sight: they were on the planet Reach, just days before making the fateful Slipspace jump to this universe. As the two watched the ODST team made their way through an abandoned building that overlooked a city park.

"Son of a bitch," Gabriel Kinkaid whispered from off-camera. "This is a fuckin' nightmare!"

"Quiet, soldier," Davis's voice came from the video. A moment later Carson, the ODST whose viewpoint they were seeing this from, began setting up his sniper rifle on a window sill. A moment later the view changed as the ODST peered down the scope of his weapon. In the sights they could see a group of human civilians being shepherded by a blue-armored Elite. The Elite forced the human prisoners into a fenced-off area, where they were then set upon by a number of the shriveled, birdlike Kig-Yar, or Jackals as humans knew them. The creatures tore into the humans, ripping them apart and quickly devouring them. Carson's sights centered on one just as the creature straightened up, blood coating it's face and a length of a human intestine hanging from its mouth.

"Pause it there," Davis said. The image froze. "This is what we've been fighting," he said quietly. "This is what your commanders are dealing with. They're a horrifying group of races all bent on one thing. Lodestone!"

"Yes, Sergeant?" the AI said.

"Play the first message ever sent to humanity by the Covenant."

The rough voice of an Elite spoke over the speakers then in perfect English. "Your destruction is the will of the gods, and we are their instrument." Davis looked at the woman, his face grim.

"Do you get it now?" he asked. "Do you understand why we attacked your complex? Why we've been so adamant on destroying the Covenant on this world? We've been fighting these motherfuckers for thirty years now. We know them better than anyone. We know they won't honor any deal with your leaders. Once they have what they want they'll burn this planet into a fucking marble. Do you really want that?" The sergeant stood up, put his hands on the table, and leaned forward towards the woman. "You've got three roads ahead of you, lady. You can follow the one you've been following, which is the one your leaders follow. You could follow the road that benefits yourself. Or you could follow the path that leads to the protection of humanity." He blew a puff of smoke at her. "Lucky for you, two of those routes run in the same direction. You can benefit humanity and yourself all at once."

"You don't need any stupid analogies about roads to convince me," the woman said, waving smoke away from her face. "I've been questioning the Chevalier's orders for some time now. I saw what the Covenant did in Shiori Tenshi, and what happened when Unit Zero attacked West Genetics a few days ago. I signed up to protect humanity, not sell them off to some alien bastards." She sighed. "I'll help you, Helljumper. But I don't want your people trying to hold any sort of charges against me."

"I'll make it happen," Davis said. "So what's your name?"

"It's Maya," the woman said. "So shall we discuss my testimony now, Sergeant Davis?"

**West Genetics Academy, 1145, PE grounds…**

The fourth-year girls had PE just before lunch, and that included Alexis. She'd spent half the morning explaining the situation to Charlotte, Lina, Sophia, Ivan, Devon, and Horacio. Now she was walking back towards the locker rooms with Lina and Charlotte, while Sophia stayed behind to help their instructor with something.

"I still can't believe he just.. killed her!" Charlotte said. "I never thought he could be so cold!"

"He's a soldier though," Lina said. "They've all got good hearts but they're all ready to kill their enemy at a moment's notice."

"But murdering Alexis's sister?" Charlotte argued. "I like the guy and I want to believe in him, but he could have at least given her a chance!"

Alexis, who had been walking behind the two, suddenly stopped in her tracks. The other two Pandoras looked back to find her staring straight ahead. They followed her gaze… to find the ODST they'd just been discussing standing before them. They both stopped and watched him. However, Gabe simply walked past them and stood in front of Alexis. Alexis looked up at his mirrored visor, wishing she could see his face beneath his helmet.

"Miss Tannar," he said emotionlessly. "Your presence is being requested on the Ace of Spades. I'm to escort you to a Pelican and deliver you to the ship."

"Gabriel," Alexis said.

"If you'll follow me, I'll show you to the dropship," Gabe said over her.

"Gabriel!" she said again, louder this time. "What is this about!? And why won't you talk to me?"

"Listen," Gabe said, his composure slipping. "The Admiral is having a meeting with the officers of the ship and the SPARTAN team to discuss what we discovered on that platform. I managed to convince her to let you sit in. So just come with me and hear what we've found, alright?"

Alexis nodded then looked to her friends. "I'll see you guys later," she said. She then turned and chased after Gabe, who had begun walking away. "So are you even going to speak to me?" she asked him.

Gabe remained silent as he led her towards the landing area where a Pelican, D499, was waiting for them. They clambered into the back of the craft and settled in as it pulled up and away from the ground. It was then that Gabe spoke.

"This is my final apology, Alexis," he said quietly. "I'm going to give you all of the information you wanted before. After this I'm returning to the Ace and I'll remain there until the engineers can figure out a way for us to go home. You never have to see me again."

Alexis wanted to speak, but she found that she couldn't. Seeing him like this was too much for her to take. Until now she'd seen Gabe as being strong, far stronger than anyone else she'd ever known. But now he seemed broken, as if something had completely crushed his spirit and the only way he was keeping it together was by cutting himself off from his emotions entirely. She knew that tactic well: it was the same one she often used. And she had a funny feeling that she was what had destroyed him so.

The flight to the Ace of Spades didn't take long at all, and soon enough the Pelican was landing on the deck of the ship. The landing bays were still underwater but they could get on and off of the ship via the top access hatches and service elevators. Gabe led her to one of the access hatches and opened it, revealing a spiraling metal staircase and an airlock. She followed him down into the belly of the great warship, through its various corridors until they finally reached a large conference room near the nose of the ship. There were roughly two dozen UNSC officers here, as well as Admiral Hartman herself and the ten SPARTAN-IIs. There were also two other people. One was Sergeant Davis, who nodded at Gabe in greeting as the two entered. The other was a woman in a black bodysuit who stood beside the sergeant, watching the roomful of people with a disinterested gaze.

"It's about time, Corporal," Hartman said. "We've been waiting for you."

"My apologies, Admiral," Gabe said with a salute to his superiors. He took an empty seat near the back of the room and indicated that Alexis should sit next to him, which she did.

"Alright," Hartman said. The lights dimmed and a large screen on the back wall of the room turned on, displaying front, back, and side views of a black-armored Pandora similar to the one Echo team had encountered. The words PROJECT AMAZON were written above the Pandora's head. "I've gathered you all here to brief you on our so-called allies' operations. During our operation in the Pacific yesterday, SPARTAN-049 retrieved a cache of data relating to the Chevalier's projects. Using data stolen from our own computers and one of our flash-cloning units, the Chevalier are trying to create a Pandora system based on our SPARTAN-II soldiers. These new units, codenamed Amazons, use their Volt Texture abilities to create basic replicas of the SPARTAN augmentations. It's crude, but highly effective."

"And just how the hell are they doing that?" one of the officers asked. "We don't have any data on Halsey's tin soldiers on the Ace!"

At this Maya stepped forward. "We got ahold of one of the maintenance manuals for the MJOLNIR Mk.V armor system," she said. "From that and combat data from both your computers and the Covenant, we have been able to create a rough hypothesis of what needed to be changed in a human body to make them into one of your SPARTANs. That gave us a starting point for our own research."

"And who the hell are you," one of the Marine officers asked aggressively.

"Maya," Maya said. "I'm a former Chevalier operative. I'm also the one who stole the flash-cloning unit and the data from your computers."

"Miss Maya here has decided to assist us in exchange for amnesty." A wicked grin spread across Hartman's lips for just a second as she said this. "Apparently our SPARTANs have made an impression on her."

"Indeed," Maya said expressionlessly. "Now, the Chevalier are in contact with a faction of Covenant that arrived shortly before your people did. This information was highly classified, however. Only about twenty people knew about it. The Covenant made a deal with the Chevalier. We would give them supplies and leave them alone and in return they would remain hidden away from the world until they found a way to return to their own reality."

"The Covenant forces are hidden very well," Hartman said. "We believe they're using the same cloaking technology that we observed on Reach to hide their presence. Their strength and numbers are currently unknown, as is their location. What we do know, however, is that they're doing business with the Chevalier. This shall be the focal point of our counteroperations. We will trace the flow of goods to the Covenant, and when we find them we will make a decisive strike against them. Unit leaders will be briefed as the situation calls for it. Until then, I want all of you on high alert. I don't want to give these bastards even the ghost of a chance."

"And what if the Chevalier try to counter us?" Davis asked.

"Then we will be..." That cruel smile returned to the Admiral's face, giving many of the officers in the room the chills. ".. _reconstructing_ their government system. Now, Corporal Kinkaid, please go over the combat data you and SPARTAN-049 gathered on the Amazon units." Her gaze went to Gabe, who stood and walked to the monitor. A video of himself and Echo team fighting the Amazon at the West Genetics academy began to play. Gabe removed his helmet and stowed it under his arm while he spoke.

"As you can see, their armor is highly resistant to ballistic weapons fire. However, judging by the explosion when the unit self-destructed, we believe that their armor is weak against high temperatures. Therefore, explosives and energy weapons are going to be our best bet. The 70mm chaingun mounted on the DD-77 Pelican did significant damage to the Amazon unit as well, so high-caliber weapons should at least slow them down until something better can be brought to bear. It should also be noted that the Amazons are fitted with a newly-developed stigmata system called the Plasma Stigmata."

"The what?" one of the officers asked. No one seemed happy to hear those words.

"It's a new system developed for the Valkyrie units," Gabe explained. "Normal stigmata allow the Pandora to manipulate three different state of matter: gas, liquid, and solid. That's how they form their Volt Weapons and Textures. These new stigmata are still experimental, but they're able to successfully manipulate all three states of matter plus a fourth: plasma. The Valkyries witnessed during the battle we fought against those humanoid-form Novas designated N2s use Plasma Stigmata to, well, basically make their weapons stronger. However, it appears that these Amazon units can actually manipulate plasma weapons such as those used by the Covenant in order to increase their output exponentially."

"Now that you've heard all that," Hartman said. "It's time to get to work. Engineering, I want you looking into countermeasures for the Amazon units. We know we can detect them easily, but we need effective ways to fight them. Marine forces are to be fitted with as many heavy weapons packages as we can muster, and I want Hellbringer teams on standby. We also need to work on getting the ship…"

"Hellbringers?" Alexis whispered curiously to Gabe as he sat back down next to her.

"Marines that use flamethowers," Gabe whispered back. "Their weapons spew a chemical cocktail that sticks to shit and burns at nearly twelve hundred degrees in any atmosphere. These guys are real lunatics, but they're some of the funniest motherfuckers you'll ever share a mess hall with."

"… Are there any further questions?" Hartman asked. No one said anything. "Alright then. You all know the mission. Let's show the Chevalier and all of this Earth how the UNSC gets things done!"

"Ooh-rah!" came the shout from the Marines, Davis, and Gabe.

As the officers began to file out of the room Alexis stood too, but before she could leave Admiral Hartman herself approached her and Gabe. Her expression was a lot softer as her eyes fell on the Pandora. "Miss Tannar," the Admiral said quietly. "I want to my condolences to you. I am so sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Admiral," Alexis replied.

"Corporal Kinkaid requested that I allow you access to any intercepted files pertaining to your sister Alana," Hartman continued. "While I would normally object, I believe Sergeant Davis and the rest of Echo Company have all voiced their agreement with Corporal Kinkaid's request, along with twenty-seven other Marines and one Pelican pilot. Therefore, I have decided to allow you to access our system via the computer in my quarters. You'll have complete and utter privacy there, although per UNSC regulations Lodestone will monitor your connection to the ship's data arrays to make sure that you aren't doing anything you shouldn't."

Alexis realized just what Gabe had meant. She turned to speak to the trooper only to find that he had vanished. After looking around and not finding him she looked back at Admiral Hartman. "Thank you very much, Admiral," she said. The admiral nodded then turned to leave. She gave a motion with her hand that meant that Alexis should follow her, which the Pandora did while still looking around for Gabe.

**West Genetics, Level B9…**

Gengo Aoi, the world's foremost expert on Pandoras and stigmata technology, found himself completely and utterly stumped. He was sitting in his office and watching a video playing on his computer screen. Doctor Scarlett O'Hara sat beside him, equally stumped.

The video they were watching was from one of the Pandoras Alexis had led, who had worn a small camera in her uniform during their deployment to the Chevalier platform in the Pacific. The camera had captured Corporal Kinkaid's sudden upswing in ability perfectly. Amelia Evans and Su-Na Lee stood behind the two, watching silently.

"Looks like the boy learned something new," Aoi said thoughtfully. He paused the video just as the Gabe on the screen deployed some sort of energy shield. "Su-Na, have you ever encountered anything like that before?" he asked.

The Korean Pandora shook her head. "No Doctor, I haven't. But I do remember seeing something similar during the battle with the Covenant. The Marines called it a 'bubble shield.'"

"A bubble shield…" Aoi pondered the term. "I wonder, which side of the battle used the devices?"

"Both," Su-Na said. "It was mainly used by the Covenant in the form of a deployable unit on a tripod, but I did see a SPARTAN use a small fist-sized device with UNSC markings to create the same effect for a short time. I believe the UNSC weapon was derived from the Covenant version."

"What are you thinking?" O'Hara asked, giving her colleague a scrutinizing look.

"His Volt Weapon takes the form of a weapon of the UNSC arsenal, the Individual Combat Assault Weapon System model MA5B if I remember correctly." Aoi tapped the screen, sending a rainbow-colored ripple out from where his fingertip touched the LCD display. "And now he's created a barrier that resembles one found in his universe, one used by the Covenant."

"So… what?" Amelia asked. "He's creating things he's familiar with?"

"Exactly." Aoi nodded. "Our Pandoras are taught about the Volt Texture optimizations they employ in battle, but Gabriel hasn't had that training. What he's been trained in has been Individual Combat Assault Weapon Systems and bubble shields. It's only a guess, but I've got a feeling that we've finally discovered why he hasn't been able to use Volt Textures or High-End Skills until now. We've been trying to force him to do it our way. We need to get him to do it his way."

"And what about the stigmata his partner branded him with?" O'Hara asked.

"I think we were way off thinking that it was what was hindering him," Aoi replied. "The reason it doesn't activate with the others is because it doesn't need to. It's unnecessary to his power as a Pandora."

Amelia stared at the screen, her eyes studying the mirrored visor over her sparring partner's face. Even though it was just a digital image of a nondescript piece of polarized glass, she got the strangest feeling from it. It was like looking at an armed nuclear warhead. And that bomb had become her companion, her sparring partner and fellow soldier.

Before she knew what she was doing, Amelia found herself walking towards the door. Doctor O'Hara watched her leave with a raised eyebrow but didn't say anything. She could see the look on her bodyguard's face and recognized it instantly. A plan was forming around that expression Amelia wore in the doctor's mind.

"Is it me, or is she acting stranger than usual?" Su-Na asked.

"I think she's finally remembered that she's a woman," O'Hara muttered.

**Chevalier Grand Canyon HQ…**

The command center of the entire Chevalier Organization was a large complex built across the historic Grand Canyon in the southwestern United States. This complex consisted of a massive structure spanning the canyon, with a tall tower sticking out of the top. Hundreds of Pandoras and Limiters guarded the facility as it was the nervous center of the most important organization on the face of the Earth.

Within this facility, in a large office at the top of the tower, was the man at the head of it all. This man was one Alfred Hughes, a well-built and exquisitely handsome man in his sixties. Right now his face was lined with worry as well as age.

The cause of his worry was spread out across the desk behind him. There were papers and pictures and diagrams detailing what had happened in the Pacific Ocean when Project Amazon was discovered by the UNSC. He'd been against the creation of the Amazons to begin with, and this was exactly why. Trying to copy technology they didn't understand was an idiotic move. On top of it they'd stolen that technology from their allies, and now he was even hearing rumors that someone within his own organization was doing back-room deals with alien powers.

All in all, it was an enormous mess. To make matters worse, he'd been outnumbered and unable to keep other high-ranking Chevalier officials from making their moves against his old friend Gengo Aoi. He didn't know what was coming, but he knew it wasn't good.

Things weren't all lost, however. There was still a chance. He had found out about a pair of lower-ranking officials that had been secretly feeding information to the UNSC. He'd worked hard to cover the few tracks the two left, keeping them out of harm's way for the time being. In the coming days, the two might become extremely useful to the UNSC. It was a bit too late for Alfred himself, however.

The door of his office opened and a man stepped in, escorted by four of the black-armored Amazon soldiers. The man was tall, had black buzzcut hair, and was smoking a cigar. The four Amazons moved to surround Alfred while the black-haired man stood near the door and watched.

"Radox," Alfred snarled. "What the hell is a has-been like you doing in my office?"

"I'm afraid it's not your office anymore, Hughes." Radox said. "You've kept my chair warm for me for long enough. It's time for me to get back to work."

"So you were the one behind the Amazon Project?" Alfed asked.

"Indeed. I needed something to get me back on track, and those UNSC dogs provided the perfect opportunity with their SPARTAN warriors." Radox snapped his fingers and one of the Amazons began to cuff Alfred's hands behind his back. "Now I'll be able to deal with you, Aoi, and those damn aliens in one fell swoop."

"And what happens when the world sees that the idiot who supported the E-Pandora program is back in office?" Alfred asked.

At that moment a third man entered the room. This man was identical to Alfred Hughes in every way, but he had a vacant expression on his face. He seemed completely out-of-touch with the world. Alfred's eyes widened at the sight. "You didn't," he whispered.

"We did," Radox said. "We used the UNSC flash-cloning device to create a copy of you to act as our figurehead. It'll be our face, but I'll be the one running things around here. At least until I can complete the task at hand. Once I do that, there won't be any need for any version of you, Hughes." The ex-commander in chief smiled as the current commander was marched out by one of the attending Amazons. The clone sat down behind the desk and began reading the paperwork on the desk while Radox sat in another chair at the edge of the room, smoking his cigar and waiting for the next phase of his operation to begin.

**West Genetics Academy, training field…**

Two hours had passed since the meeting on the Ace. Alexis had been led to Admiral Hartman's quarters and turned loose with the computer in her room. In the time that had followed Alexis had learned the truth behind her sister's visit to Japan, the Amazon program, and her sister's death.

It had started shortly before the Covenant attack. Alana had been one of three hundred women selected for the Amazon program. A representative of the company that had backed the program, whose name had been omitted from the data files, had visited Alana in England just before the Covenant battlecruiser showed up. That was the real reason Joel and Alana had been in Japan.

"Alana," the woman in the video recording of their meeting had said. "Wouldn't you give anything to be able to fight alongside your sister?"

"I would," Alana had said. "But I can never stand with her. I would only slow her down. Thus my place is to stand behind her and support her with all my heart."

"What if I could offer you the chance to be a help to her? I'm offering you the chance to be stronger than anyone has ever been."

Alexis had been unable to hold back tears at that point. She would have given up anything to be able to tell Alana just how precious that support had been over the years. She wanted her sister to know just how much she meant to the Pandora, but it would never be. Not even Alexis's purest feelings could ever pierce the veil of Death.

The data had gone over the augmentation process the Amazons were subjected to as well as detailing just where it had gone wrong in Alana's case. The Amazons went through a long series of enhancements to their bodies and nervous systems with technology that roughly imitated the UNSC's. In addition the Amazons had a number of special stigmata implanted throughout their bodies. These, called Framework Stigmata, served to strengthen and enhance the body on a local level as well as giving the Amazons the ability to form their new armor and control their main stigmata on a level far beyond what a common Pandora was capable of. The final step was the implantation of the main Amazon Stigmata in the subject's back like a normal Pandora's. It was here the operation met disaster.

After the final implantation, the Amazon had to undergo an activation process in which their unconscious body was placed into a chamber that resembled a cross between an iron lung and an MRI scanner. This device bombarded the newly-created Amazon with powerful energy waves, instantly flooding her entire body with energy and activating the stigmata in her system. This allowed the Amazon's body to fully adapt to the new systems without a lengthy and disaster-prone physical therapy regime. But this operation carried its own risks. If power was cut in mid-operation, the Amazon was almost guaranteed to Novalize and go on a deadly rampage.

During Alana's operation the station experienced a power shortage caused by an explosion in the generator room. The platform's security forces hadn't had a chance to find the cause of the explosion because Alana had gone on a rampage. What was worse, a number of the other Amazons had gone rampant as well. It hadn't taken long for the station to become a bloodbath. Alexis had watched the recordings from the security cameras in horror as her sister and the other rampant Amazons had gone on a killing spree through the facility.

Now the heartbroken Pandora walked through the grounds of West Genetics Academy, unsure of how to proceed. Gabriel Kinkaid clearly wanted nothing further to do with her after what had happened. She didn't feel comfortable around Echo Company, nor did she feel like facing Charlotte and her other friends again. And so she made her way down to the training field where SPARTAN-102 had set up a firing range for the Limiter training program. She sat down on the grassy hill leading down the field, watching as a lone Limiter got in some practice with a BR-55. She recognized the boy even at this distance: Kazuya Aoi.

As Alexis watched a figure stepped up next to her and sat down. She gave the girl, the blonde Pandora that was partnered with Kazuya, a glance then went back to watching the Limiter practice.

Satellizer watched her partner as well, searching for something to talk with her upperclassman about. She'd noticed Alexis moping about, although she hadn't heard what had happened. She was concerned and she wanted to pay Alexis back for everything the Pandora had done for her during the battle against the Covenant. So now she sat beside the older girl, struggling with her own nature and trying to find something to say.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Alexis said coldly after a minute or so of silence.

Satellizer jumped, not expecting that sort of reaction. "I-I just wanted to talk," she said quickly. "I noticed that you seem down and I was wondering if maybe I could help in some way. I do still owe you after what happened."

Alexis was quiet for a moment longer, then she gave a short laugh. "I see," she said in a voice that was considerably less hostile. "I appreciate the gesture but there isn't much you can do for me. Not unless you can change a man's mind."

The younger Pandora didn't have an answer for that one. "Im afraid I can't," she said. "I can't even get Kazuya to talk to me." Her gaze went to her knees at that point and her own troubles began to show on her face. Alexis broke her gaze from the distant Limiter and looked at the girl instead.

"What's wrong with you two?" she asked.

"It started just after the battle," Satellizer said. "Kazuya was reassigned to Block D and the only ones who could go in were him and the Legendary Pandoras. When he finally came out he was angry and said he didn't want to talk to me. He told me to stay away from him for a while." She shook her head. "I just don't know what to do. I want to talk to him but I just… can't. He's never been like this before."

Alexis glared back down at the rifle-wielding Limiter. She felt her blood beginning to boil at what had transpired between the two. "I know the feeling," she said bitterly. "I've been trying to get Gabriel to talk to me but he won't. He won't listen to a damn thing I say."

Satellizer was horrified at what her upperclassman said. "You and Corporal Kinkaid are having trouble?" she said in disbelief. "But.. you two are the perfect couple! A nuclear bomb couldn't even separate you!"

This won a laugh from Alexis. "Maybe we were, but after his last assignment Gabriel has been an entirely different person. He won't talk to me, he avoids me, and when we do talk he just gives me that whole 'professional soldier' act. It's really pissing me off!"

"But what could have happened to cause it?" Satellizer asked.

"He was forced to kill my sister in the line of duty," Alexis said quietly. She explained the basics of what had transpired: Alana had been recruited into some strange Chevalier program to make next-gen Pandoras, the UNSC and West Genetics had both responded to a distress call from the facility, and a rampant Alana had attacked Gabe and a SPARTAN resulting in her death.

"Dear God…" Satellizer breathed. "I am so sorry."

"Even worse, I lashed out at Gabriel after the incident." Alexis sighed and laid back on the grass, looking up at the sky. "The guy only did what he had to. He did his job and I made him out to be a demon because of it. And in the end I said something horrible, something I would give anything to take back."

"Maybe we can trap him?" Satellizer mused. "If we force him to listen to you then maybe you can get through to him."

"I'd like to see you try and trap him though," Alexis said. "He'd slaughter all of us. Besides, I don't want to force him. I just… I want things to be like they were before this happened. I want him to be the Gabriel that I used to know. You know, the one that fought his way through a Covenant battleship and survived a nuclear strike just to come back to me."

"Then give him a reason to come back," Satellizer said. "Show him the side of you that made him come back through all that. If he sees the Alexis he fell in love with, maybe the Gabriel you love will turn up."

Alexis gave the younger girl a surprised look. "That was… unexpectedly insightful of you."

"N-not really," Satellizer said, turning red and looking back down at Kazuya. "I just read that in a book somewhere and thought it might fit."

"Maybe it would…" Alexis turned her gaze back to the sky, thinking about the girl's words. "Or maybe it'd just drive him further away."

"Well you'd better do something quick, Tannar." Alexis and Satellizer both looked behind them at the speaker. Samantha van Houten stood a short distance away, leaning against a tree.

"And what business is it of yours?" Alexis asked, standing up and forming her Volt Weapon. Satellizer stood as well, but she took a step back and watched the other two warily. "Last time I checked, my relationship with my partner was none of your concern."

"It does concern me when my rival is moping around like a scolded puppy," Samantha shot back. "Believe it or not, I have a great deal of respect for Kinkaid. That's why I want to obliterate him in a fair fight. But I won't get that with him in his present condition. And I sure as hell won't get it if that Evans woman gets her way." She shrugged. "But if you'd rather some freak show takes your man from you."

"… I'm listening," Alexis said.

**West Genetics Academy, five minutes previous…**

Gabe walked down the halls of the main faculty building with his hands in his pockets, eyes closed. He was exhausted, both mentally and physically, and he had a headache from hell. He'd tried to shove aside his feelings about Alexis for the time being. It wasn't the best reaction but it was the only thing he could do. He sure as hell wasn't going to show this hostile world a weakened ODST. He was stronger than that… or at least that's what he wanted the world to think.

Inside his heart it was chaos. He was fighting down his feelings but it was getting harder by the minute. His relationship with Alexis was no more. Alana, the sweet girl he'd met only once but already adored was dead. The Chevalier and the UNSC were on the verge of interdimensional war. And to top it off there were still the Nova to worry about as well as the dark presence that his stigmata had branded into his mind.

As Gabe exited the faculty building he walked straight past a familiar figure, one he knew well but didn't notice. Samantha van Houten didn't take too well to being ignored.

"Aren't you even going to threaten my life, alien?" she called after him.

"Nope," Gabe said, continuing to walk away. Samantha chased after him and began walking after him.

"What is your problem, Kinkaid?" she asked. "You're usually pretty pathetic but today you're even worse than usual."

"Fuck off van Houten," Gabe grumbled. "I'm not in the mood today."

Samantha rolled her eyes, taking her rival's half-hearted attempts to banish her as an insult. "Are you really so weak that you're going to start slinking around like a lost little dog just because that Tannar girl did exactly what I said she would?"

Gabe didn't answer this. Thankfully, he didn't need to. A third person was nearby, having been waiting for him to pass by.

"Hey, small fry," Amelia Evans said. "Why don't you leave the guy alone for a while?"

"And why the hell should I listen to some freakshow like you?" Samantha asked aggressively.

Amelia took a step towards the two, her Volt Weapon forming in her hands. "Because if you don't," she said, twirling her weapon around in one hand. "I'll tear you into little tiny pieces and sell you to the fishermen at the warf as chum." Samantha took the hint at that point and left, although she looked none too happy about it. Amelia watched her go then turned to catch up with Gabe, who had continued walking past.

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes. Finally, however, Amelia decided to break the silence. "Listen Gabe," she said. "I've been thinking about something."

"I probably don't care," Gabe said.

"Well you should." She grabbed the ODST's hand and pulled him around to face her, forcing him to stop and take notice of what she was saying. "I think you should partner with me instead."

"Are you retarded?" Gabe asked.

"I'm serious!" Amelia let go of Gabe's hand and took a step back. "For a long time, being an E-Pandora was all I ever thought about. It was all that mattered. But my reason for being in the program is taken care of now. My goal has been accomplished… and now that I've met you, I want to live life as a woman as well as a Pandora."

"I've already got a partner," the trooper said quietly.

"Yes, a stupid girl who doesn't even understand you!" Amelia's voice rose as she spoke. "She tries to force you to conform to her, she expects you to be perfect in every way for her, and what does she do for you in return? She gets mad when you do your duty and screams about how your people are just a bunch of war-loving maniacs! She's no good for you, Gabe!" Her voice dropped to a whisper and she took both of his hands in hers, stepping much closer to him. "You deserve so much better than her. I promise you Gabe, I'll be that person that's better. I'll be everything you deserve in a partner.. and in a lover."

Something clicked within Gabe as Amelia's face began to move towards his. He knew it was stupid, but he didn't want Amelia to do this while he was still loyal to Alexis. He wasn't about to betray his partner again, even though he highly doubted the white-haired Pandora considered them to be partners anymore.

As if granting his heart's wish, Amelia suddenly threw herself backward as something spun past in between their faces. Gabe's eyes followed the object as it buried itself in a nearby wall. It was a double-ended scythe with the surface texture of a Volt Weapon… one that he knew very well.

"Get your hands off of him!" Alexis cried from down the path.

Amelia turned towards the interloper, her own weapon reforming in her hands. Alexis closed the gap quickly and stood between Gabe and the E-Pandora, her weapon vanishing from the wall and reappearing in her hands once more.

"Why don't you just leave, little girl?" Amelia asked. "You're not needed here."

"Maybe I'm not," Alexis said. "Maybe Gabriel hates me, maybe he wants to put a bullet in my brain and if that's the case I'll let him. I deserve it after how I treated him." Her body tensed as she prepared to strike. "But I won't let some wannabe Pandora take him from me! Not without a fight!"

"Alexis, don't," Gabe said. "You can't take her. She's way too strong for you."

"I don't care," Alexis said over her shoulder. "I love you, you stupid son of a bitch. I love you and I want to be with you until the very end."

With those words the fight began. Alexis rushed at her opponent, striking as hard and fast as she could. Amelia kept one step ahead of Alexis, blocking the girl's attacks but not attacking herself. This kept up for several moments while Gabe tried to process what had just unfolded before him. There wasn't much of a chance for him to do this, however. After a number of strikes Amelia decided to make a move of her own. The handle of her weapon caught Alexis in the stomach and sent her flying. The younger Pandora's body left a spideweb of cracks in the wall next to Gabe as she hit then fell onto her hands and knees. Amelia approached the downed Pandora with her weapon pointing straight at Alexis's neck.

"So let me get this straight," she said. "If I want Gabe, I have to kill you first. Right?" Alexis only coughed in response, blood splattering on the pavement. "I can handle that," Amelia said. She drew back her weapon and prepared to strike…

It was then that Gabe sprang into action. He wasn't one hundred percent sure what he was doing but his body seemed to know what it was doing. In the blink of an eye he had shoved himself in between Alexis and Amelia. The older Pandora's weapon made contact with a dome of crimson-tinted hexagonal panes that appeared around Gabe just before impact, the result of his stigmata. His own Volt Weapon was centered on her forehead.

"If you want to hurt my partner," he snarled. "You're going to have to go through me."

For a moment Amelia simply stared at the ODST. Then a smile formed on her lips and her Volt Weapon vanished. "Well now," she said. "It took a little longer than I'd hoped, but it looks like the job's done." She stepped back and looked around Gabe's legs at Alexis. "I'm sorry I had to rough you up a little, it was the only way to make this convincing for you two."

Gabe was quiet for a moment, his look of anger being replaced by confusion. "Eh?" he finally said.

"I knew you two were both too proud and two inexperienced to figure this mess out on your own, so I decided to look after my favorite sparring partner and help you patch things up." She laughed, leaning against a nearby tree. "I can't believe I actually had to go that far though." Her voice shifted and she began to act like a schoolgirl. "'Please Gabe, I need you! I want to love you and care for you and make you all mine!' Can you imagine me actually doing this sort of thing for real!?"

Gabe lowered his head for a moment then began to laugh as well. "Amelia, I like you. But I swear to god, if you EVER try to help me again I'll shove a frag up your ass!"

Amelia chuckled and set off towards the D block, where she and O'Hara had been lodging. "I'll keep that in mind. Now why don't you two kids have a nice long chat and patch things up. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon for our work with the good doctors."

Gabe watched her leave then knelt down in front of Alexis, who was now sitting upright on her knees. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "My regeneration is pretty quick. I can't believe that woman though! Who does she think she is?!"

"She's our friend, apparently." Gabe glanced back down the path where Amelia had disappeared then back to Alexis. "Look, Alexis…"

"Don't," she said. "I'm the one who should apologize. I went overboard. I was upset because I couldn't do anything to protect Alana and I didn't know what was going on, and I ended up taking it out on you." She put her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, fighting back tears. "I am so sorry, Gabriel. I didn't mean what I said last night. I don't ever want you to die on me, alright? I want us to be together long after the Nova and the Covenant are both defeated."

"Alexis… I can't breathe…" Gabe said.

**Later, D Block…**

Amelia stepped through the door of her shared quarters, shrugging off her jacket and hanging it behind the door. She found herself being watched by Su-Na Lee, who had been watching over O'Hara in Amelia's place. The Korean Pandora smiled, having heard everything from Doctor Aoi, who in turn had seen the events over the academy's surveillance cameras.

"So, you helped those two out in the end," Su-Na said. "Put on an act for them, did you?"

"That's right," Amelia said shortly. "You can go now."

Su-Na made for the door, pausing at the doorway and looking back. "You did a good thing, Amelia." After those words she left the room, leaving the E-Pandora to her thoughts.

"Yeah…" Amelia whispered. She sat down on the couch Su-Na had recently vacated and looked up at the ceiling. 'Treat him well, Tannar,' she thought. 'Or I'll make sure to claim him next time.'

**UNSC Ace of Spades, Bridge, 2330…**

As the clock ticked ever closer to midnight that night, the Ace of Spades was anything but quiet. The entire ship was a hive of activity as soldiers and crewmen hurried this way and that in preparation for the coming operations.

The ship's engines were nearly repaired, thanks to supplies requisitioned from the nearby Chevalier military bases. The Chevalier were still pretending to be on good terms with the UNSC despite the disaster in the Pacific. This allowed the crew of the Ace to get supplies and equipment from the nearby bases with considerable ease.

Many of the crew, including the SPARTANs and the dual AI constructs on the ship, were going over the wealth of Chevalier data they'd retrieved from the oil platform. One of the SPARTANs was having a hard time concentrating, however.

Jeremy-049 was trying to read a report some Chevalier agent had filed about the Amazon's combat abilities. His progress was being impeded, however, by a head of dark hair that was on his lap. Teslad, the Legendary Pandora that had taken some sort of interest in him, had pretty much forced her way onto one of the Pelicans that was ferrying cargo from the island to the ship. Now she was lying across three chairs with her head on the SPARTAN's armored lap, snoozing away contentedly like a cat.

Jeremy was feeling slightly uncomfortable about having her using him as a pillow, but he was made even more uncomfortable by his team's reaction to the situation. Tess-102 in particular was displeased with the arrangement.

"Why the hell is she here?" the SPARTAN asked her team leader. "We're trying to analyze data and come up with plans to save our own asses against the Chevalier, and here we have one of their Pandora units using our commanding officer as a pillow."

"Teslad and the other Legendary Pandoras are loyal to Gengo Aoi," Jeremy said. "And he's got every reason to back us up against the Chevalier. They're already gunning for him. Besides, I don't think she really cares about what we're doing." He looked down as Teslad moved a bit to get comfortable. "I think she just wants to be around us."

"You seem to have grown pretty fond of her, CPO." This came from SPARTAN-139. "If I didn't know better I'd say you were a schoolboy with his first girlfriend."

"Which wouldn't be too inaccurate an analogy, given what I've learned about the SPARTAN program," Eris chimed in.

"Can it, all of you," Jeremy said. "Listen, if Teslad turns out hostile I'll take full responsibility and I'll put a bullet to her myself. Until then, we've got work to do and we don't have time to fret over someone who isn't our enemy."

Tess-102 was about to argue further but she caught a sound in her helmet's radio. All ten of the SPARTANs fell into shocked silence, all of them hearing the signal that was coming over their private channel. It was a series of seven notes in a tune they knew well, one they'd used ever since they were little kids in the SPARTAN-II training program back on Reach. Jeremy could still remember John-117, the leader of Blue Team, whispering those words after they'd defeated a group of Marines that had made their lives a living hell for some time.

_Oly Oly Oxen Free, All out in the free, we're all free…_

_(So, that's the end of 19! It was mostly the Gabe and Alexis show this time with the coming operations involving the Chevalier being the icing on the cake. Next chapter will be the beginning of the end, so to speak. We're almost to the climax, my lovelies! And for those of you who are wondering... well, Feet First! is actually just part one. There's a part two in the works, but for now just worry about watching this lovely cast of misfits, GMHs (genetically modified highschoolers), and supersoldiers as they spiral towards TOTAL WORLD DOMINATION... or just cake. Who knows.)_


End file.
